A Twist of Fate
by Queen Mist
Summary: A series of RyoSaku one-shots. When Ryuzaki Sakuno turns back into a kid, she gets a taste of life with the Echizens.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... Ryoma wondered if meeting the love of his life in an airplane was merely a coincidence.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Prince of Tennis. If I did, then Ryoma and Sakuno would be married by now.

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_** 1: Sweet **_

Ryoma tugged the bill of his cap lower as many people passed by his row. He wasn't one to care about other people (he doesn't give a damn of what they think), but he wasn't really fond of being mobbed and harassed, especially since there were a lot of girls boarding the plane.

Sometimes, it sucked being a two-time tennis world champion.

He bowed his head when someone stopped and took a good look at him. _Shit. Damn. Please don't let him recognize me. Please don't let him recognize me._ A few moments later, when nobody was screaming his name madly, he chanced a look up and was inwardly relieved to see the man was gone. He glanced at the seat beside him (the one beside the window).

It was empty.

When a flight attendant passed by, he quietly asked for a Ponta. The woman blinked, nodded, and smiled slightly at him.

Ryoma noticed she had a really nice smile.

He was wondering what her name could be when she returned and asked him, blushing slightly, what flavor would he like.

He blinked at her sudden appearance. "Grape Ponta. What's your name?" He blinked again at his audacity. He wondered why he even bothered to ask.

Her mouth opened in surprise. He noticed she was fiddling with the end of her neat French braid. She had really pretty hair. He slapped himself inwardly. _God, that sounded so gay._ Biting her lip, she gave him a small bow. "Anou... I'm Ryuzaki Sakuno."

Sakuno. _Beautiful name._

His mouth twitched slightly at her politeness. "Echizen Ryoma." He wondered why he was introducing himself to a stranger- a woman no less. The lack of Ponta was really getting to him.

Maybe.

She blushed and nodded. "H-hai. I'll get your drink now, Echizen-san," she said softly, knowing his identity must be kept secret. As she walked away, the plane started to lift. He wished she would be back soon, however illogical and unnatural that sounded. A corner of his mouth lifted when he saw her walking briskly towards him, her braid swinging gently behind her.

"Thanks," he muttered when she handed him two cans of grape Ponta. "Don't call me Echizen," he added quickly before she could leave. "It makes me feel old."

She smiled becomingly, one that made his heart do maddening leaps inside his chest. "It was a pleasure, Ryoma-kun," she whispered, and then she was gone.

Ryoma-kun. He liked it.

He wondered when he would see her again.

----

A/n: yup. I'm making short one-shots now. I suddenly developed a knack for them while I was making Sometimes. Anyway, I hope you like this one. It's a bit OOC, but I think it's pretty cute.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... It was Valentines Day- a time for lovers and couples. So why on earth was Echizen Ryoma giving Ryuzaki Sakuno roses?

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Prince of Tennis. If I did, then Ryoma and Sakuno would have kissed by now.

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_**2: Sweeter**_

Momo shook his head vehemently. Was it just him, or did his kouhai, THE Echizen Ryoma just pass by him with a bunch of flowers?

It was probably his imagination.

----

"Those... are flowers."

He scowled and almost rolled his eyes. What a way to state the obvious. Ryuzaki was so weird at times. "Che."

Sakuno blinked bemusedly at him, and then stared at the flowers as if they were monsters waiting for the opportune moment to strike her. "A-anou... hai. And?"

Ryoma almost shoved the bunch to her. Was she dense? He was rather uncomfortable with the way other students were looking at them. He turned to the side and shot them a glare. _Don't they have their own bloody lives?_ "Do you want them or not?" he muttered, finally fed up.

She smiled hesitantly. "Demo... are you really serious, Ryoma-kun? It's Valentines Day and... well..."

He wanted to kiss her senseless, just to see if she could finally get the point. "Do I have to spell it out for you?" he snarled through gritted teeth.

Then she was smiling prettily at him, her dark eyes twinkling mischievously. "Saa... Ryoma-kun is rather temperamental, ne?"

His scowl deepened. "I am not."

She giggled softly. "Ah. Ryoma-kun is too cute," she teased before taking the offered flowers.

He almost breathed a sigh of relief. _Finally_. Her words registered in his brain. "I am not cute."

She sniffed the blood red roses delicately. "These are beautiful..."

He scoffed. "Of course they are. I wouldn't pick any rotten ones."

She nodded in agreement. "Your girlfriend must be very lucky..."

His eyes narrowed. "Possible, if I had a girl friend. Unfortunately, the only girl I like refuses to acknowledge any of my advances." His tone was challenging.

She gasped in mock-indignation. "Ryoma-kun, that is terrible! Who is this girl? If I see her, I promise I'll help you gouge her eyes out." She was teasing him again.

Bloody hell. His soon-to-be girlfriend was a vixen. He muttered a few choice words under his breath about girls being so terribly weird and unpredictable.

To say he was surprised when he felt a chaste kiss on his cheek was an understatement. His head shot up, but she was standing in front of him again, smiling shyly, as if nothing monumental just occurred. He blinked. "You kissed me."

She continued smiling at him. "Maybe."

His jaw was very close to dropping. "God, you're insufferable."

She even had the decency to grin cheekily at him. She was very very naughty. "That's why you love me, ne?" Then- what the hell? - she was walking away.

He blinked and then sprinted after her. "Wait, Ryuzaki!"

----

a/n: it's... finished? oh well. I know it's weeks past valentines day, but I thought fics are for the whole year round, so what the hell? I think this one's pretty cute... in my opinion only anyway... and I think it's a cliffy, but I'm afraid I'm gonna make it too long if I continued, so there. hope ya like it! please don't forget to leave a comment!

arigato gozaimasu!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... Ryoma is getting overprotective.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis. If I did, well... I'll be the happiest girl in the world.

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_** 3: Mine **_

"Get up."

Sakuno blinked and looked up. She was surprised to find dark green eyes staring furiously back at her. She glanced uneasily at the person sitting beside her. "Um, Keiichi-san, I-"

"I don't think Ryuzaki wants to go anywhere, Shin."

Shin Keiichi snapped his gaze from Sakuno to the aloof tennis prince, the barely visible smirk on the latter's lips infuriating him. "Echizen, I believe you are not concerned in our conversation, so shut it."

Sakuno bit her lip nervously. "A-ah, Ryoma-kun, maybe I should go..." she offered hesitantly. "M-maybe we could continue-"

Ryoma merely raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh? You're not going anywhere," he said softly. When he spoke again, looking at Shin, his voice was bordering on dangerous. "Whatever you want to say, Shin, you should probably say it right now."

Shin glared at him darkly. "Don't get yourself involved, Echizen. I'd hate to punch you."

The tennis prince laughed, and his smirk widened. "Everybody knows you like Ryuzaki," he commented, flicking a stray lock of hair from Sakuno's forehead, eliciting an embarrassed squeal from her. "So why not just say it right now?"

Students' heads shot up quickly as they heard the screeching of chairs against the floor. Nobody knew who packed the first punch, but the students knew who'd win in the end anyway. They watched, amazed, as Echizen Ryoma coolly evaded Shin Keiichi's blows.

Graceful. Lethal.

In the sidelines, Sakuno was staring at them with wide eyes, surprised.

It never lasted more than three minutes, though. Some of the students gave a resigned sigh as they saw Shin facedown on the floor. Naturally, some had been worried, and they rushed to help the fallen student.

Nobody was too worried, though, because it had been Echizen Ryoma, and Echizen Ryoma always knows what he's doing.

----

"Ow. Damn."

Sakuno laughed softly at him, the hand holding the swab of cotton falling to her lap. "That was the fourth time this week."

"You were keeping count?"

"Ryoma-kun-"

He mustered an indignant scowl. "They were always hitting on you."

She shook her head and nursed his slightly swollen cheek. "You let him hit you, ne?"

"Che."

"Maybe... maybe I should tell everyone I'm spoken for," she whispered, her brown eyes boring into his own.

Her answer was a smirk as he closed the distance between their lips. "About damn time."

----

a/n: ok, so I admit it's weird, but I just wanted to get it out of my system. I'd been thinking about this chappie every night before I sleep... waaa... I've been dreaming about plot bunnies! waaaaaaaaaaa... anyway, I'm running out of ideas for drabbles, so I'm taking up requests. to all the people who've reviewed me, thanks a million! love you guys!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis. Period. (grins sheepishly)

To the people who gave me such nice reviews- **Prodigy Keyblade Wielder, nertz, reader713, Cyansilent, Princess Ren, astig3422, W double-you, hieiashke, jHeyTTernallie, Jomai, Newbie GK, larsha, sesshoumarukagomeforever23, KenRik, xryosakufujix, cupidsangel, CrazyGirlofManyNames, Shenhui, snowleaf, silverquill-87, keikeiaznqueen,** and **Melissax3**! Thank you for the support!

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_** 4: The Two of Us **_

Sakuno fidgeted slightly in her seat, trying to find a more comfortable position on the bench. She had been reading for half an hour. Smiling a little, she tipped back her head and let the mid-afternoon sun bathe her with its golden light. She stayed in that position for a few minutes until a light breeze swept by her, lifting her unbound hair just a little. Her smile widened.

It was a wonderful afternoon really.

"Having fun?"

Her eyes snapped open, surprised to find amused hazel eyes staring back at her. "R-ryoma-kun?!"

The tennis prince shrugged his shoulders, shoving his hands into his pockets after adjusting the tennis bag hoisted on his shoulder. "Yeah."

Sakuno once again realized that her Ryoma-kun was a VERY good-looking guy. Standing in front of her, he was the epitome of aloofness. She smiled prettily. "It's nice to see you today."

He almost blushed. "It's nice outside." He paused. "Can I sit there?" he blurted out.

She blinked. "I..." She flushed slightly. "Of course, Ryoma-kun," she smiled graciously.

He released a barely-audible sigh of relief. To her (and his as well) surprise, he sat beside her. As in BESIDE her. With almost no space between them. He blinked.

She blinked.

He blinked again.

The blinking fest would have continued if Sakuno hadn't smiled softly, bumping her shoulder gently against his. "Daijobu, Ryoma-kun."

He blinked one last time before a grin tugged at his lips. He bumped his shoulder against her as well. "Che." There was a comfortable silence. "You're here alone?" Ryoma almost smacked himself for stating the obvious.

Sakuno made an affirmative sound, glancing at him, amused. "Ryoma-kun seems very conversational today..."

He merely shrugged.

She laughed, a light cheery sound that lifted his spirits, closing her book. She leaned towards him, so Ryoma was forced to lean his head back to keep a respectable distance between their faces. "It's a fine afternoon. What could make the great Echizen Ryoma stay on the park on such a fine afternoon as this?" she asked teasingly.

_You_. Ryoma thanked all the gods he managed to hold his tongue. Instead, he raised an eyebrow. "Is that a crime?"

She shook her head, still smiling. "It's just... I was just wondering."

Some of his- _ahem_- romantic feelings for her must have shown in his expression, for when he looked at her again, her cheeks flushed crimson. "You..." he swallowed. God, even his match with Sanada didn't make him THIS nervous. "You like me, don't you?" He will always wonder how he managed to say that without blushing like a schoolgirl.

She blinked, and then her jaw dropped in shock. "R-ryoma-kun!" Her face was an alarming shade of red now.

"Do you?" he insisted.

She closed her eyes in embarrassment. A few moments later, she sighed, and opened an eye to peek at him. "Yes," she whispered finally. "I do like you Ryoma-kun."

The grin that spread across his face made her snap both eyes open. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. She bopped her head inwardly for even thinking. "Good." Then he was scooting even closer to her, their arms brushing, their thighs pressed together.

Sakuno glanced at him and was surprised at the slightest hint of pink on his cheeks. She smiled shyly and leaned closer to him.

Ryoma wondered if he looked like a love struck fool. For the moment though, he didn't care, especially when her dainty hand found his.

And so they sat together closely, the picture of young innocent love, unmindful of the appraising stares of the passersby who whispered what a beautiful couple they made.

What a beautiful couple indeed.

---

a/n: finally. oh god, finally. this has been going around my head for a VERY long time, and I finally finished it. three cheers for me! ha-ha, anyway, I hope you like it. as always, thank you for everyone who has reviewed my last three chappies. it has been an honor! thank you very much!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... Ryoma would not let anyone kiss Sakuno. Even if it was just a play.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis. (produces a white hanky and sobs uncontrollably)

All thanks to the people who reviewed the previous chapter- **CrazyGirlofManyNames, KenRik, The Gandhara, xryosakufujix, snowleaf, 10xpandax10, Melissax3, alf05, ryosakulove, crescent moon at midnight, Jomai, Hikari the Keyblade of Hope, itachi-is-mine, azalea sway!**

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_** 5: First Kiss **_

"What do I don't understand?" Her voice was small, shaking, as tears fell from her eyes. "That you don't love me? That you don't care?" Then her shaking stopped as she lifted her head to smile softly, sadly.

There was silence, and everyone was struck speechless by the sadness etched in her features until-

"Bravo! Magnificent, Sakuno!"

Everyone seemed to snap out of whatever daze he had been in and began to clap wildly.

Sakuno wiped the tears from her eyes and bowed shyly, blushing as the stunned president of the drama club hugged her. Her eyes scanned the audience until she found a pair of hazel eyes, surprisingly, staring back at her.

She smiled.

---

"OMG! And you get to kiss Akira-san! And he's like- the second hottest guy next to Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka squealed, unable to contain her excitement.

Sakuno laughed, shaking her head. "Tomo-chan, I only tried out for the role because you forced me to..."

"But you still got it! Oh, I am SO jealous! You get to kiss him- what? - three times! THREE!"

"Why don't you try for the role, Tomo?" Sakuno asked, amused.

It seemed her best friend didn't hear her though. "And he looks just like Ryoma-sama! They have the same hair and the same build and practically everything except maybe for the eyes because Akira-san has these gorgeous blue eyes while Ryoma-sama has those oh-so-green eyes to die for!"

"Green?" Sakuno blinked. "I thought they were hazel..." When she looked at Tomo, and saw her knowing eyes, Sakuno couldn't quite help the blush rising to her cheeks.

---

"She was great, wasn't she?"

The can of Ponta stopped halfway to his lips. Ryoma opened his eyes and stared at the smirking visage of one of his closest friends. He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Hikaru Akira, president of the prestigious drama club of Seishun Gakuen, merely laughed at the tennis club captain's blank expression. "Your girl friend? Remember?" Recognition dawned on Ryoma's features, but he schooled his expression quickly as he saw Akira smirk again.

"What?" He was scowling.

Akira crossed both arms over his chest, looking down on the tennis prince sprawled casually over the couch. "So she is your girl friend."

Ryoma's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Akira raised an eyebrow. "So you don't mind if I kiss her?" No response. "Thrice?"

Ryoma couldn't quite repress his growl, unable to feign ignorance any longer. "Don't. Touch. Her," he fairly snarled.

_Ha, the green-eyed monster has finally reared its head,_ Akira thought in amusement. "I'm afraid that isn't possible," he said coolly, pointedly ignoring the dark glare boring a hole through his skull. "She's Cinderella, I'm her prince-" he stopped as he heard a particularly dark growl. _Oops_. "Don't take it too literally," he assured. "So unless you want to act in front of hundreds of people, there's no choice," he finished, knowing that Echizen Ryoma couldn't act to save his life.

There was a very long pause in which Akira wondered if his friend had been permanently stunned into silence.

"Do you have a spare costume?"

Akira blinked. "Yeah. Why?"

A pause. "I have an idea."

---

Sakuno was panicking. Since when did Cinderella have THREE kissing scenes? As far as she could remember, it only had one- and that's to seal the wedding. So where on earth did the two come from? She clutched the ball of her periwinkle blue gown tightly, willing herself to calm down. The play had been going smoothly so far. She wasn't about to sabotage it just because she didn't know a thing about kissing.

Why did they never practice kissing anyway?

The sound of approaching footsteps almost made her jump out of her skin. _Oh Kami-sama, this is it... _Sakuno closed her eyes, her heart beating a mile a minute as an arm wrapped around her waist. She took a deep breath. "My prince," she breathed out, her eyes still firmly closed.

She could feel the excitement coming from the audience, and she drew her courage from them. She was about to open her eyes when his lips pressed gently on hers. She almost cried.

Her first kiss.

_Ryoma-kun._

She kept on thinking about the boy she loved, ignoring the warning bells ringing all over her head that screamed of the familiarity of the embrace.

And then he pulled away. "Tell me your name," he whispered softly.

She refused to open her eyes, fearful of the raw sadness in them, and merely shook her head. "I cannot," she whispered brokenly before she tore herself from his embrace and ran as the clock struck midnight, leaving her prince standing there in surprise.

The curtains closed.

---

The play went on smoothly as Sakuno managed to curb her desire to curl into a ball and cry her eyes out. Some would think her silly, but her first kiss was special. She should have given it to someone special. How can she ever face her Ryoma-kun again? The thought almost dissolved her into tears.

It was the last scene. The wedding.

For the third time that night, she closed her eyes and leaned into the embrace of her prince. And then he was kissing her again- all soft and gentle- as the crowd broke into tumultuous applause, as the curtains closed. And then he was gripping her tighter, pulling her flush against him, deepening the kiss.

Her eyes snapped open.

...only to meet warm hazel eyes looking straight back at her.

She gasped as he pulled away, and then she was pulled into a flurry of movement as the curtains opened once again and she was with the rest of the cast, bowing to the audience. Her eyes sought the lead actor, and he was there, smiling and waving at the crowd, blue blue eyes sparkling.

And then she was smiling softly, a hand over her still-tingling lips.

Meanwhile, on the backstage, Ryoma's back was pressed against the wall, his breathing ragged over the pounding of his heart, as he was willing the crimson blush to recede from his face.

---

a/n: omg. that was long wasn't it? ha-ha, I couldn't help it. was it cute? I thought it was... it made me go aww and smile all over. it's a bit cliché, I think, but it's pretty nice, in my opinion... the play is Cinderella- a retelling of it, at least. I'm not sure if they even kissed in the Disney movie, but oh well. don't think too much about it then. anyway, since I couldn't help it, here's a bit of a continuation. hope you enjoy it!

PS. Hikaru Akira is mine! ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. you can borrow him, though, if you asked really really nicely. peace!

---

Ryoma handed Sakuno a bouquet of assorted flowers, looking away. "You were good." One may wonder why he chose to give her the flowers that late at night, but he wasn't about to join the mad crowd who wanted to rush everything after the play.

She laughed lightly and nodded. "Would you like to come in?" she offered, opening the door wider to her house.

He shook his head. "You're probably tired. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he turned to leave.

"Thank you, Ryoma-kun," she called after him. He merely waved a hand in response. "My prince."

It was almost a whisper, but he heard it, and it made him stop dead in his tracks. He turned to look at her, but she was already inside, the door firmly shut. This time, he wasn't quite able to stop blushing as he remembered the feel of her lips on his. A grin tugged at his lips as he continued on his way home. "My prince, eh?"

Inside the house, Sakuno's flushed forehead was pressed against the cool surface of the door. She couldn't believe she said that. She couldn't believe she managed not to melt into a puddle when he arrived at her doorstep with a bunch of flowers. Bringing the flowers to her nose, she smiled- a small secretive smile. "My prince."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... The whole world must be against him, Ryoma thought, except maybe... one.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis. If I did... (trails off with a dreamy look on her face)

All thanks to the people who reviewed the previous chapter- **keikeiaznqueen, KenRik, Hikari the Keyblade of Hope, CinveXrtedO, snowleaf, astig3422, xryosakufujix, Special Circumstances, ryosakulove, CrazyGirlofManyNames, Melissax3, Krissel Himura, jHeyTTernallie, Zero'N'oveR, cupidsangel, Shenhui, YummieCreamy,** and **DokiDoki-sama**! I am completely overwhelmed by your wonderful reviews! Arigato gozaimasu!

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_** 6: The Beginning **_

Ryoma was scowling.

Ok, so it wasn't an unfamiliar sight, but he was famed for his blank perfect poker face. Any kind of emotion expressed on his haughty features was a phenomenon itself.

When he woke up with a splitting headache that morning, he should have known it would be a really bad day, especially since he was perfectly fine the whole day before- all body parts intact and mind still functioning spectacularly- and even managed to beat his stupid perverted oyaji. And so everything went downhill from there. He accidentally stepped foot on Karupin, spilled orange juice all over his shirt (causing him to shower again and change into a decent shirt), forgot his Science homework (which earned him a scolding from his teacher), sat all through his classes with a dazed look on his face (which got him disapproving glares from his other teachers and a detention from his English teacher), and arrived late at practice (Tezuka-buchou seemed particularly nasty that day- _Fuji-senpai must have gotten on his nerves again,_ Ryoma thought bitterly- and ordered him to run 50 laps). To top it all off, due to his poor performance at practice (he was a prodigy, yes, but he had a headache!), he was forced to drink a pitcher of Inui's latest version of Aozu (it was violet, bubbly, and reeked so badly any skunk would be put to shame). The stunned expression of his teammates when he managed not to pass out when all he wanted was to keel over and die was the only reason that made him stand straight on his feet.

And so he found himself walking home that day, tired and exhausted- both mentally and physically, a seemingly permanent frown on his face. Ryoma thought the day couldn't get any worse.

He should have known something ominous was bound to happen when he thought like that.

Slowly at first, and then as if the heavens couldn't wait any longer, large raindrops fell on the ground. Ryoma, too worn out to care (_to hell with it_, he thought darkly), simply walked along the path slowly, unmindful of his dark hair plastered over his forehead, his white school shirt sticking indecently to his skin, oblivious of the rapidly blushing faces of the females he passed by. By the time he arrived home, practically soaked to the bone, his headache was a hundred times worse.

"Tadaima," he muttered, trying his best not to soak the rug. He removed his wet shoes distractedly (he was thankful it was a Friday), his mind intent on changing quickly and dropping off to bed. He was already imagining the soft mattress of his bed when a voice startled him out of his thoughts.

"Ryoma-kun?" There was a gasp, a shuffling of feet, and then someone was unbearably close to him he could feel the warmth emanating from the other person's body, a towel on his head as the person tried to dry him as much as possible. "Are you all right?"

He looked up tiredly; saw concerned warm brown eyes, and then something clicked in his muddled brain. "Ryuzaki?"

She nodded, alarmed at how hazy his eyes were. She forced herself to calm down and said in a gentle voice, "Let's go to your room, Ryoma-kun." Much later, she would blush at how..._improper_... that sounded, but let's not get ahead.

He could only grunt in response, gladly taking her hand, oblivious to the dark blush on her face. And then he almost sighed in relief when he found himself on his bed, her warm hand brushing the damp hair from his forehead. Ryoma could only lean to her touch, resisting the urge to sigh. His headache was slowly... _slowly_ disappearing.

"Ryoma-kun..." Her voice was soft and gentle, reminding him of a fresh breeze in spring. "You need to change clothes..." Through the fuzzy state his mind was in, he nodded, his hands fumbling with the button of his shirt. He managed to undo a button when she helped him. A cold rush of air almost knocked his breath out when they did manage to remove the shirt, but she quickly dressed him in another shirt. "Um... Ryoma-kun..." He opened an eye and noticed her embarrassment. He blinked slowly. Finally, his mind grasped the idea and he quickly removed his soaked pants, leaving him only in his boxers. He was too worn out to be embarrassed.

Sakuno quickly tucked the covers around him, blushing furiously. She watched him breathe for a few moments, her hand still on his forehead, when she realized he needed medicine. Whispering an apology when he groaned softly at the loss of her touch, she rushed to the kitchen where she quickly found some pills and filled a glass with water. Once back at his room, she sighed in relief when he drank it obediently and his tense shoulders relaxed. She smiled, her hand resuming its gentle caress on his forehead. "You'll be all right, Ryoma-kun," she said softly.

His eyebrow lifted very slightly, making her giggle in spite of the situation. Her Ryoma-kun was back. A few minutes later, he was fast asleep, his breathing even and deep. Her smile was warm as she laid her head beside his, just watching. Her smile was loving when her eyes finally closed, murmuring his name.

Much later, when Nanjiroh, Rinko, Nanako, and Coach Ryuzaki arrived, they found the two sleeping, Sakuno's head on Ryoma's shoulder, their fingers entwined atop his chest.

Nanjiroh almost crooned in delight. Instead, he produced a camera from somewhere and snapped pictures of the two, cackling silently.

Rinko shook her head and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Nanako chastised her uncle and tried to take the camera though she was thinking how lovely Ryoma and Sakuno's children would be. Maybe she could help in making wedding plans…

Ryuzaki-sensei grinned and told her former student she'll fetch her granddaughter first thing in the morning. She left, but not before asking for a copy of the pictures.

Meanwhile, the two students slept peacefully, dreaming of cherry blossoms, tennis courts, and dark-haired children with brown brown eyes.

It was a start.

---

a/n: that was long too. and wonderfully clichéd. oh well. I hope you like it. it's a usual theme, but I tried to add more thought and less fluff. ha-ha, I don't think I succeeded. anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my fic. I'll do my best! cheers!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... Running for her life. Stupid bloody muggers. Kissing perfectly innocent unsuspecting strangers. This was definitely Sakuno's "not-best" day.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

To all the people who gave me cool reviews- -**K i w i Co-, keikeiaznqueen, KenRik, Hikari the Keyblade of Hope, larsha, Juuroku-sama, CinveXrtedO, Pati101, Shenhui, ryosakulove, astig3422, Jomai, Ayane Selznick, Remordere, and xryosakufujix**- thanks a lot, guys!

A/n: I don't usually put notes on the beginning of a chapter, but I felt that my readers deserved an apology. I'm sorry it took so long for me to update. The computer broke down, and it wasn't repaired until less than a week ago. Anyway, that won't happen again unless, of course, I get too busy with my studies and all those other things. So… I hope you enjoy this chappie!

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_** 7: Surprises **_

Sakuno was running for her life.

If she knew the hell she would go through this day, she wouldn't have woken up that morning. She chanced a look behind her shoulder and was faintly relieved to see no shadows chasing after her.

That was until she heard heavy footsteps thudding across the pavement.

She groaned inwardly in frustration and urged her legs to run faster. _Oh god, oh god, oh god._ She was an athlete, yes, and she was a relatively fast runner, but she wasn't a martial arts expert! She could probably take out one or two men (out of sheer luck, of course), but they were three! Stupid bloody muggers...

She skidded around a corner. She quickly assessed her options, her mind frantic with her thoughts. There were three roads- one left, one right, one in front. All roads have poor lighting, and Sakuno knew one was as good as the other. With a moment's hesitation, she practically threw herself to the right. It was a small alley and had very poor lighting. She panicked.

She was trapped!

She pressed herself flat against the wall and shut her eyes tightly, hoping the people chasing after her would take the road ahead or the one forking to the left. Oh Kami-sama...

She didn't even notice the lone figure walking in the alley until he was almost in front of her. That's when her eyes snapped open, and she bodily threw herself against him and quickly turned them so she was flattened to the wall.

The man seemed to be in a state of shock as he didn't move even when she pressed him against her. _Of course he was shocked, _she reasoned to herself. _Who wouldn't be when some girl throws herself into his unsuspecting arms?_

When she heard the loud pounding of feet, she stared into the man's wide eyes (she dimly noticed he was rather handsome and something tugged in the back of her mind) and pulled his head down for a kiss. When her lips met his, Sakuno couldn't help but blush. It was still a kiss after all, and he was a stranger! _Oh, dear Kami-sama..._ Her grip tightened on his shirt when footsteps sounded nearer. At that moment, he finally seemed to grasp the situation.

As if he was doing it all along, he gently wrapped both arms around her, one hand on her back and the other on her waist, shifting them so that only his back would be visible to whoever passed by. Sakuno almost sighed in relief, but the action was hindered by the fact that his lips were still pressing against hers, rather firmly, actually. She gasped when he pressed himself fully against her. Sakuno went limp in his arms, her knees turning to jelly. One thing she was sure of, he was a _really_ good kisser.

When the footsteps faded away, he slowly pulled his lips away from hers, still rather flushed against her.

Sakuno took deep breaths, gasping. She raised her eyes to see the expression on his face. Maybe he was going to hit her?

Her eyes took in dark hazel eyes and the dark green hair and the amused smirk and everything that was-

"Ryoma-kun?!" she breathed, blood draining her face quickly.

He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I'd say this was a nice welcoming."

"Y-you're back?" Sakuno wanted to sink into the ground and vanish from the world forever.

He laughed, a soft husky laugh, and cupped her face, leaning closer. "I am, and you have a lot of explaining to do, Ryuzaki."

----

a/n: ooookaaaay... weird little one-shot this one is. I'm positive there's a lot of holes in this story, but I'm pretty sure my lovely readers can understand the thought I put in. wahahahaha. yes. I'm weird. ha-ha. I hope you still liked this one. thank you to everyone and please continue to support me! yey.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... Ryoma wasn't about to leave the only girl who caught his attention. No. Bloody. Way.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

**Author's Notes: **OMG! I feel like crying. I am amazed by the number of reviews this fic has gained. I love you guys! Thank you SO much! (wipes tears) To **Hikari the Keyblade of Hope, CrazyGirlofManyNames, keikeiaznqueen, 10xpandax10, Pati101, PrincessChii, Remordere, astig3422, mistic-gal, Inuzuka Nin, TearsandSorrow, Car2nfreak, CinveXrtedO, matsukanishi09, hieiashke, Ayane Selznick, SesshoumaruXRin, KenRik, Cattleya Caballero, Jomai, and Juuroku-sama**, I promise I'll do my best! To **Prodigy Keyblade Wielder**, I love you! Thanks for the 100th review!

----

_** 8: Sweet, Part II **_

It was a few hours after dusk, and everyone was fast asleep. _Mostly everyone_, Sakuno mused to herself. There was that bearded guy in the suit who was typing in his laptop furiously. She deduced he was a businessman. And there was that nice-looking lady reading a book. And the large man who kept ordering drinks and stuffing his face with chips. And-

_Ryoma-kun._

A small smile graced her delicate features. Ever since they met that afternoon, she always found him on her thoughts. He never asked for a drink again, but, much to her surprise, she sometimes saw him looking around, as if he was searching for somebody. When she caught him 'searching' for the third time, she neared his seat and asked him whom he wanted to find.

The widening of his eyes was the only indication that she was the one he was looking for. Then he was smiling at her and tilting his head in a way that she found completely adorable. _It's nothing_, he had said. _Thanks._ And he had phrased it in such a completely offhand yet meaningful way that she blushed.

She jarred herself from her thoughts, blushing again. Maybe he could use some company? The seat next to him was empty anyway. Before she could talk herself out of it, she was striding towards him, careful not to make any noise. Once she was beside him, she leaned forward and tapped his shoulder.

"Ryo-" Her voice died in her throat as she found her face unbearably close to his. If she wished, her nose would be brushing against his.

"Ryuzaki," he breathed. Why hadn't she noticed his eyes were utterly beautiful?

Why- _oh why_- was she blushing? She was shy, yes, but she wasn't completely like this. "R-ryoma-kun," she said softly, swallowing. "I was- um..." Oh god, why wasn't her brain working? "W-would you like something to d-drink?" she managed out, resisting the urge to cover her face with her hands and run.

He must have known what she was thinking at that time because his hand closed around her wrist. He leaned forward ever so slightly, tilting his head, so she could feel his breath on her lips, and all she could think about was _He's so warm. Ryoma-kun... he's so warm._

"Would you... would you like to sit with me?" he asked in a soft voice, dark eyes peering into her own.

She smiled then, and to Ryoma, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "I'd love to."

---

Ryoma was jolted awake by a tap on his shoulder. Blinking several times to ward off the sleep clouding his senses, his eyes focused on the pretty face of none other than-

Ryuzaki Sakuno.

"Ryoma-kun," she whispered, smiling. "It's time to go."

He sat up quickly, the dark blue jacket covering him falling to his lap, and noticed the last of the passengers filing out of the room. "Did anybody notice me?" What if somebody took a picture of him without him knowing it?

She shook her head, laughing. "Everyone was very excited to leave the plane, Ryoma-kun."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "What time is it?"

She checked her watch. "It's ten minutes past midnight." She looked up and grinned at him. "Welcome back to Japan, Ryoma-kun."

He smirked slightly. "Che."

He was about to stand when he noticed the jacket on his lap. He blinked. Jacket?

"Oh! That's mine," she exclaimed, putting both hands behind her back and swaying nervously. "I thought... maybe Ryoma-kun..."

"Thanks." He was grinning at her. "I didn't know I'd be falling asleep." It was true. When she agreed to sit with him, they talked for a while. And then all he could remember was him laying his head on her shoulder and the smell of lavender and strawberries.

"Ryoma-kun should go," she said softly, suddenly.

He started. "Right." His hand tightened on the jacket. As irrational as it sounded, he became attached to this woman, with her sweet voice and nice smile. "Can I take the jacket?" he blurted out.

She was surprised, and, to his amazement, pleased. "O-of course."

"A-and-" Oh Kami-sama, he was stuttering. His senpais should see him now. He quickly removed his cap from his head and put it on her. "There." _Damn. How could a girl look so cute wearing his cap?_ He thought in frustration. And why wasn't he leaving already?

She blinked in confusion. "Ah, thank you, Ryoma-kun, but I-"

Before she could finish what she was about to say, and before he lost his nerve as well, he leaned forward, pulled her into a hug, and pressed his lips to her cheek for a brief moment.

Sakuno went very very still.

"I-" he swallowed nervously. "I want to see you again. Would you go to my match next week?"

"I-"

"I'll save a seat for you. J-just say your name." Ryoma refused to admit to himself that he sounded desperate.

"Ryoma-kun," she said softly. She was smiling warmly. "You should go."

He could only nod in numb shock. She didn't...

She folded her jacket- now his- and handed it to him. He was surprised when he felt the cap on his head again.

"You'll need that," she murmured. He could only nod again. He was desperate and stupid and- "So I'll be taking it after the match, ok?"

-completely lucky.

"You-" He turned to face her when she suddenly kissed him- sweet and chaste.

"I'll see you there." And then she was gently guiding him out of the room. "Good luck, Ryoma-kun." And just like that, she was gone. Ryoma's mind tried to process everything that was happening, but the only thought running around his brain was- _She kissed me. She'll be there. She kissed me!_

He smiled- a small genuine smile. And as he alighted from the plane, the same smile on his face, Ryoma wondered when he had ever felt so lighthearted, his lips still tingling from the touch of her lips.

_I'll see you there._

He would see her again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... He had made her a promise. Ten years is not long enough to make him break her heart.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

To my readers, I apologize if I let you wait for so long for this next chapter. I am also thankful to those who take the time to read and review my fic- **KenRik, Hikari the Keyblade of Hope, Ayane Selznick, MadokaKotone, Prodigy Keyblade Wielder, Very Vicious Vixen, ryosakulove, PrincessChii, Pure Essence, CrazyGirlofManyNames, SesshoumaruXRin, Remordere, astig3422, xryosakufujix, alishoane, Car2nfreak, f.u.s.h.i.g.i.t.s.u.k.i., Juuroku-sama, matsukanishi09, TearsandSorrow, CinveXrtedO, Kurayami-Tenshi,** **Seresid,** **sheilds of darkness, **and **Jomai**!

----

_** 9: Childhood **_

"Let's get married, Ryoma-kun!"

The young tennis prodigy merely raised an eyebrow at her, turning over in his bed.

She pouted cutely, stomping her feet angrily. "RYOMA-KUN! I'm serious!"

The five-year old boy sighed, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Ryuzaki," he started, speaking like someone who knew so much. "Do you know what marriage is?"

Sakuno nodded vigorously. "It means you live happily ever after with someone you really really like! And I really really like Ryoma-kun!"

He muttered something under his breath although a ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. "You're mental."

"Ryoma-kun," she whined. "Don't you like me too?" She was looking at him eagerly, large brown eyes bright, her auburn hair tied in two pigtails framing her face.

Ryoma sighed again. There was no saying no to her. "Of course I do, Ryuzaki but-"

"Then let's get married!"

He resisted the urge to glare at her. "We're too young."

"No, we're not!"

"Yes, we are."

"No!"

"Yes."

"NO!" It was almost entirely too late that he noticed a tear fall down her cheek. He panicked and pulled her close.

"R-ryuzaki! Don't cry!"

"Ryoma-kun- _hic_- just- _hic_- doesn't want to marry- _hic_- me," she sobbed.

For the third time that day, he sighed. "If it makes you feel any better," he said solemnly. "Once we're old enough, I'll marry you."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

He smiled a small smile. "Yeah."

"Waaa! Ryoma-kun's so nice!" she squealed, tackling him to the ground. "I love you!"

He let out a small _'oomph'_, but then he laughed and wrapped his small arms around her. He lifted his head to whisper softly in her ear. "I think I love you too."

---

_Ten years later..._

Sakuno stumbled into her class, barely awake. She had stayed up late last night to finish one of her essays that she failed to do over the weekend. It resulted to her only getting three hours of much-needed sleep, but thankfully, her homework was finished. On the other hand, she felt horrible. And she bet she looked horrible too. High school was way difficult than junior high.

"Sakuno? Are you all right?" Her best friend, Tomoka, asked, peering at her face.

She mustered a weak smile. "I'm fine, Tomo. Just a bit tired."

The other girl grinned knowingly. "Stayed up late, huh? Anyway, I heard some really good news. There's this-"

The door opened, and their English teacher walked in. The students, including Sakuno and Tomoka, rushed to their seats, and the noises died down. Tomo winked at her, mouthing, "Later," before turning back to face their teacher.

"Good morning class," Hidaka-sensei greeted in slightly accented English. The class greeted him back in perfect unison. "I'm supposed to start today with a pop quiz-" Groans erupted through the class. "BUT," he emphasized cheerfully. "I received a rather pleasant surprise." The students turned to look at each other in confusion.

Surprise?

"We have a new transfer student. He lived in America for ten years. Everybody, welcome Echizen Ryoma."

All movement stopped inside the room. Echizen Ryoma? The tennis prodigy? Tomoka sat up straighter in her seat as the door opened once again. A boy with dark green hair and piercing hazel eyes walked in.

"Ohayou gozaimasu. I'm Echizen Ryoma," he said in a low voice, bowing.

The class was stunned. He was THE Echizen Ryoma, the only Japanese player who entered the US Open and managed to win against players twice his age.

When he looked back up, his eyes met the shocked pale face of Ryuzaki Sakuno.

---

"Oh my god! And he's SO hot!" Tomo gushed excitedly during lunch. "Did you see how gorgeous he was? And his eyes were SO beautiful!"

Sakuno could only nod distractedly as memories of her childhood rushed back to her. '_Could he really be-? Could he still remember me? Could he still-'_

"Excuse me."

Tomoka stopped her gushing, intent on slapping the one who interrupted her when she looked up.

And saw none other than Echizen Ryoma. Her cheeks burned scarlet. "R-ryoma-sama! W-what do you need?" she sputtered.

On the very back of Sakuno's mind, she wondered how on earth he already received the title of _'lord'_. Everyone practically worshipped him. As it was, the only thing she could do was stare at him with a mixture of surprise and disbelief.

His eyes were dark with some unnamed emotion as his gaze shifted to Sakuno. "I need to talk to you."

"Ryoma-kun?" The name spilled from her lips unconsciously, naturally, as if they were only five-year old children and he didn't leave for America and nothing had changed.

When in fact, everything did.

Tomoka looked from Ryoma to Sakuno and back. "You know each other?" she asked uncertainly.

Sakuno pondered the question. She would have said _'yes'_, but ten years was a long time. He could have approached her for a lot of different reasons. "N-"

"We're friends," Ryoma interrupted coolly. "I need to talk to you... Ryuzaki."

"Oh!" Tomo squealed excitedly. She nudged Sakuno and winked. "You should go with Ryoma-sama! I'll talk to you later!"

Sakuno sighed and stood up. She was positive that her best friend would definitely ask questions. "Ok, Tomo-chan. I'll see you in class." She turned to the dark-haired boy and offered him a tentative smile.

He nodded. "Follow me." She waved goodbye to her friend and followed him. They walked for a few moments when-

To say Sakuno was shocked when she felt fingers gently intertwine with hers was an understatement. She looked up at him, surprised. He met her gaze with a trace of hesitation.

"You know," he started softly. "I never forgot about you."

She looked away, a lump forming in her throat, and voiced her earlier thoughts. "Ten years is a long time, Ryoma-kun."

"Is it?"

No. "Of course it is." There was a pause. "Ryoma-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"I never forgot about you too."

She could hear the small smile on his voice. "That's good to know." There was another pause. "Ryuzaki?"

"Yes?"

"Can I hug you?"

Sakuno refused to start tearing up. "Of course you can, Ryoma-kun," she whispered brokenly. As soon the words left her mouth, he crushed her to him, burying his face in her hair, breathing deeply, almost as if he wanted to drink her into his soul.

"I missed you."

She clutched him almost desperately. "I really missed you too."

He held on to her for a few more minutes before he let go and pressed his forehead to hers. "Do you still remember what I promised?"

Sakuno almost laughed. Of course she remembered. That was her last memory of him. "We're still too young."

"No, we're not."

"Yes, we are."

"No."

"Yes."

He snorted. "I can't believe this. We'll have a long engagement then."

She giggled, though, this time, her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "That would be nice." And she flung herself in his arms, sobbing and willing herself to stop at the same time.

When her soft cries and whimpers died down, he bent down to whisper in her ear. "I love you."

She smiled softly, warmly. "I think I still love you too."

---

_She was crying._

_He laid a small hand on her shoulder. "I need to go now. We're going to America, so you take care of yourself, ok?"_

_She nodded, biting her lip to stifle her sobs. "H-hai."_

_He sighed. "I'll never forget you. I'll be really really great someday! Once I come back, we'll get married. So wait for me, ok?"_

_She nodded again, hugging herself as he hugged her briefly and planted a sweet kiss on her forehead. And as she watched him follow his parents and his plane leave, Sakuno promised to herself, "Of course I will... Ryoma-kun."_

----

And it is finished. Voila. I hope you like this little one-shot. Once again, there are holes in the plot, and the characters are a touch OOC, but it was really fluffy, and I like the concept of sakuno waiting for ryoma to come back. As usual, I'm a sucker for happy endings (my fics always turn out that way), so there. Reviews and constructive criticism will be highly appreciated.

Queen Mist


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... AU Never hit on your best friend's little sister. It was an unspoken rule between guys. Ryoma thinks otherwise.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

To my very lovely and inspiring readers- **PrincessChii, CrazyGirlofManyNames, SesshoumaruXRin, Heart Br0ken, Remordere, Kurayami-Tenshi, Shenhui, Juuroku-sama, darkdestoyer61, Cyansilent, Chen0412, Car2nfreak, My sanity, Ayane Selznick, mistic-gal, sheilds of darkness, TearsandSorrow, Jomai, animeandmangaaddict, CinveXrtedO, ryosakulove, YummieCreamy, disneyrulz23, High Priest of Ducky, **and once again **Pure Essence!**

----

_** 10: Date **_

"Oh Kami-sama, you were utterly ruthless," Momoshiro panted, practically collapsing on the couch. He lay on his back, an arm thrown over his eyes. "Did you have to take out all your anger on me?"

"I wasn't angry."

"Oh please." He sat up quickly and glared at his best friend. "If you don't call that angry, Echizen, then what is?"

Ryoma shrugged coolly. Sweeping his damp hair from his forehead, he regarded his senpai with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have any Ponta?"

Momo nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Grape?" When he received no answer, he sighed to himself and shook his head. "Right. Grape." He was about to stand when he heard soft footsteps. Moments later, a sweet-looking girl arrived, holding two cans of Grape Ponta. His eyes lit up. "Ah, Sakuno! I thought you were out."

Sakuno blushed prettily and handed him one can. "A-ah, Tomo-chan had to take care of her brothers, onii-san." She turned to her brother's best friend, smiling shyly. "Nice to see you again, Ryoma-kun," she greeted, handing him the other can.

"Yeah. You too."

Momo almost choked.

"Onii-san? Daijobu?" came his sister's worried voice.

He shook his head. It was probably nothing.

Both of them didn't notice the light flush on one Echizen Ryoma's face.

---

"What?!"

"I know!" Momo exclaimed, raising both hands in frustration, oblivious of the furious expression on Ryoma's face and the hand tightening on the can of Ponta. "And she didn't tell me who the guy is either!"

"She's on a date," Ryoma said slowly.

"I can't believe she didn't tell me!" Momo growled, thumping his fist on the table viciously, startling the students who passed by their table in the cafeteria. "How am I supposed to take care of my little sister if she doesn't tell me anything?"

Ryoma's knuckles were already turning white.

"How can I sit here when she's out there somewhere with some lecherous guy?"

Ryoma quickly stood up.

Momo blinked. "What's wrong, Echizen?"

"I need to go somewhere, Momo-senpai." And just like that, he was gone.

"Eh? Echizen!"

---

"You're WHAT?!"

Sakuno fiddled with the hem of her skirt nervously. "I'm going out, onii-san."

Momo couldn't believe his ears. His sister- his cute innocent little sister- was going out on a date. _Another_ date! She was looking pretty too, wearing a white sundress and her hair all swept up from her face and into a neat French twist. "Another one?! You were just out the other day!" he asked incredulously.

Sakuno blushed crimson, which didn't go unnoticed by her brother. "I- ah... anou... it was a promise."

"A PROMISE?!" he thundered.

"O-onii-san!" she squeaked. "I-it was- I can't really refuse R-"

"You mean he's FORCING you?!"

"A-ah! It's not that way!"

Momo was livid. Who dared to ask his sister? The first one escaped his deadly clutches (Sakuno refused to reveal the boy's name and just ended up blushing), but THIS one would definitely pay. "Let me see him. I suppose he's coming today?"

"Well- he-"

Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang. Momoshiro grinned wickedly. Sakuno paled.

"Aha! How about I give him a brotherly welcome first?"

She swallowed nervously. "Um, onii-san-"

Too late though as he rushed to the door and threw it open (but not before putting his scary overprotective big brother face on). "SO-"

"What's with the ugly face, Momo-senpai?" a bored voice asked.

Momo's eyes almost bulged out of its sockets. He actually took a step back and rubbed his eyes vigorously, certain he was having some sort of hallucination. Surely- he was damn sure- it was not Echizen Ryoma who was standing casually on their doorstep, dressed in dark blue jeans and a simple pale green polo shirt (and still looking impossibly cool and handsome), an inquisitive eyebrow raised. "E-e-echizen?!" he sputtered.

Ryoma raised an eyebrow at his senpai's apparent stupidity. "I would think that was obvious."

Before Momo could even form a reply, Sakuno appeared from behind her brother and smiled shyly at her _'date'_. "Hello, Ryoma-kun."

"Damn, I knew I shouldn't have eaten those rice balls... They looked pretty funny..." Momo muttered to himself.

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Whatever, senpai. Can you just move aside? We don't have all day."

"Oh. Yeah. Sure." Momo stepped aside distractedly, still in the process of getting over the shock of seeing his SISTER with his BEST FRIEND. Until, of course- "WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU THINKING, YOU BRAT?!"

Ryoma blinked at him, as if actually considering questioning his friend's sanity. "I like her," the tennis prince said offhandedly. "So I asked her out." At this, Sakuno promptly blushed ten shades of red.

"Oh shit."

When Momo (whose jaw was practically touching the ground) didn't move, Ryoma grabbed Sakuno's wrist. "So ja. We're going now. I'll bring her back home safely."

Momo could only nod dumbly.

"Bye, onii-san!"

The couple started to walk away when Ryoma stopped suddenly and turned to look at the older teen with a smirk. "Don't look so shocked, Momo-senpai. We're not getting married." His features adopted a thoughtful look. "Although if we did, I'll be sure to make you my best man. Ja."

Momo's eyebrow twitched.

One.

Two.

Three.

"ECHIZEN! GET BACK HERE!" A pause. A growl. "STOP RUNNING, YOU BRAT!"

----

And it is finished! Once again, I am gravely sorry for the delay. Our internet connection has- well- pretty much collapsed. And college is just VICIOUS. I can't believe I even managed to finish another chappie. Anyway, this is mainly humor- and a touch of fluff. I'm sorry if you don't like the alternative universe, but I just HAD to get the 'hitting on your best friend's little sister' thing in. ha-ha.

Anyway, I hope you like this chappie. Once again, thanks to all my reviewers!

_Queen Mist_


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... AU When Echizen Ryoma turned sixteen, a pair of brown eyes opened. Warning: Vampire!Sakuno

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis. I don't steal.

Much thanks to my reviewers- **CrazyGirlofManyNames, PrincessChii, Juuroku-sama, CinveXrtedO, TearsandSorrow** (thank you so much! for some reason, i felt so happy reading your review.), **ThReE gIrLs WiTh PoCkY, Egyptianlover, Remordere, lil.ramen.lover, Hina-hime, ryosakulove, animeandmangaaddict, keikeiaznqueen, SesshoumaruXRin, Hikari the Keyblade of Hope, Ruffle, Ayane Selznick **(thanks for the advice. -grins-), **Kountry101, cutepuff, sakura0617, princess-oro, Pure Essence, MistyTrees, disneyrulz23, minahoru, AzNAnGeL07, Shenhui, KenRik **(thanks for the idea. i'll do my best. c; ), **Mrs Hatake Itachi, YummieCreamy, Little Minamino, Car2nfreak, SoreNoMiko, Advanceshipping-Angel, cityangelz, kiuna'yukina, Meeh-san **(i plan to make a continuation too, so please wait for me!), **jHeyTTernallie, kataragirl11, **and **Qiwi**! Thank you all so much!

_**11: Winter**_

"What do you mean she's not awake yet?"

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but the queen has showed no-"

"As in none? It has been more than a hundred years! It is way past her time to take on the throne!"

The servant bowed low. "When the queen has showed signs of coming back to life, I will notify Her Highness immediately."

Ryuzaki Sumire's eyes narrowed. "Very well." She looked at the coffin lying innocently on the raised altar. "You have to wake up," she stated clearly. "Your mother does not have much time left." With that, she disappeared.

* * *

On the 24th of December, Sumire was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate when a servant dressed in black suddenly appeared before her. An eyebrow rose. "What news do you bring?"

"Your Highness, the queen has moved."

His only reply was a brush of wind. When he looked up, she was already gone.

* * *

_Wait for me._

_I will find you._

* * *

Sumire looked down at her successor thoughtfully. Even in sleep, the latter was beautiful. And she was smiling in that gentle way of hers. Sumire shook her head. Their kind should not possess such gentleness. She wondered what would happen when _she _finds her mate. "Because you already found him, didn't you?"

There was no reply, but Sumire expected that. Sweeping her hand over the other's forehead fondly, she murmured in a soft voice, "Wake up soon, Sakuno."

* * *

_Sixteen years later, a pair of brown eyes opened._

* * *

Ryoma sighed to himself, lugging behind a bag full of gifts. Sometimes, he really hated his birthday. Imagine being shoved a handful of wrapped boxes from females he barely knew. The experience was terrifying in itself.

It was when he was walking through the park when he felt it. A faint pulling. He looked around, and that's when he found her. He blinked. There was this girl staring at the fountain, which was not uncommon, but she was wearing this flimsy white dress, and she was barefoot, in the middle of winter, and that was _not_ normal. To his surprise, he found himself walking towards her, still lugging the bag of gifts, and before he could stop himself, he removed his green scarf and wrapped it around her.

She looked at him in surprise then, and he was struck by how _unnatural_ her eyes looked. "Thank you," she murmured.

His brain seemed to stop functioning for a moment before he slapped himself inwardly. "Y-yeah. Aren't you cold?"

She blinked then shook her head. "Not really." She smiled at him then, tugging at the scarf. "Are you?"

Ryoma just _had_ to look away after seeing that smile. "No." Something seemed to click in his brain. "It's late. I have to go. You too," he added.

She nodded and smiled again.

It was when he was walking away that Ryoma remembered he forgot to ask for her name. But when he turned back, she was gone.

* * *

_I found you._

* * *

"What do you mean, she's gone?"

"Have you gone deaf as well? She's _gone_. When we checked up on her, she was _not there_. Do you get my point?"

Echizen Nanjiroh groaned. "You mean to tell me there's a _vampire_ roaming the streets of Tokyo?"

"There's always a _vampire_ roaming the streets of Tokyo, Echizen."

"Don't get all smart with me, you old hag. What do we do?"

"Wait for her, I guess. She's going to be looking for her mate and-"

"She's not going to be attacking random people now, would she? Although if itwas someone as pretty as her… hmm…"

"You're not helping, Echizen."

"But it's true! She's-"

"I'm home," a familiar voice called out.

With a warning look directed at his companion, Nanjiroh sat up quickly. "Ah, brat. Why're you late? Good thing your mother went out for a while."

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever, oyaji."

The older man shrugged hopelessly. "Che. Still uncute as always. Before you go up, why don't you greet the old hag first?"

From her seat, Sumire smirked at him. "Been seeing someone, Echizen?"

Ryoma blinked at the both of them, before he glared at his father. "Coach isn't here, oyaji. And why are you bringing women in the house? Stupid perverted oyaji."

Nanjiroh froze. "What?"

Sumire couldn't believe her façade wasn't working. It was foolproof. Nobody was supposed to see through her. Unless… Her eyes widened. _Shit._ "Ryoma," she called out. When the boy turned to look at her, she threw a blast of magic at him.

"Oi! Not in my house, you old hag!"

Before any of them could blink, there was a sudden blur, and then Sumire's magic was gone. People suddenly started appearing around the room.

Sumire smiled and ran a hand through her hair exasperatedly. "Really. I did not expect such behavior from you."

Ryoma blinked, but before he could speak, he felt it again. That pulling. Even stronger now. And then that girl from earlier was in front of him, the air around her practically sizzling with her magic, and she smiled dangerously, her canines showing a little. "No touching, obaa-san."

Nanjiroh stood up then, raising his eyebrow. "You mean this is _her_?"

Sumire's smile widened. "Yes. Such powerful magic, Sakuno."

The unknown men kneeled before her in respect. "Our Queen."

Ryoma felt that he was the only one who did not understand anything. He grabbed the girl's shoulder and turned her around. "Hey-"

The last thing he saw was her smile before everything went black.

* * *

_I found you._

_My love._

* * *

Yes! Finally, I have finished another chapter. It's been so long since I updated. Oh well. Anyway, when I was doing this, I was thinking that the vampire should be someone like Ichihara Yuuko (from xxxHolic)- lethal, graceful, etc, etc- but Sakuno-chan didn't seem to fit the picture, and I didn't want this to be too OOC, although it is already OOC, so there.

Just in case somebody didn't understand, Ryuzaki Sumire was a vampire, and she did not get old. Instead, she uses magic to fool everybody else in thinking she is, well, old. Ok, so that's a bit stupid. Oh well. It's my fic. –grins evilly-

I plan to continue this soon, so any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks for reading my story!

Queen Mist


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary**: A series of one-shots RyoSaku fluff... AU If Ryoma could save the world, go to school without being harassed, and get kissed by the person he likes, maybe marrying a vampire wouldn't be so bad after all.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Prince of Tennis. I don't steal.

Much thanks to the people who reviewed my last chapter- **animeaddict787**, **behoimi** (Hehe. I thought so too, but right now I'm planning on continuing _Date_ as well. Hope you'll continue to support my fics!), **Otakugal**, **animeandmangaaddict**, **Meeh-san**, **Qiwi**, **PrincessChii**, **Hikari the Keyblade of Hope** (yup. And for good now, I hope. Thanks for still being here and reading this even after so long!), **FujixSaku0709** (I'm really glad I reached 200+ reviews! I almost cried. Haha. A fanart of _Childhood_ would be really cool. I suck at drawing, so I'll be glad to see what you had in mind. Thank you!), **CrazyGirlofManyNames**, **jHeyTTernallie**, **KenRik** (Hmm… not really. I'll look it up though. –grins-), **Bunny Sailor Moon**, and **Melissax3**!

I'm really really happy right now coz' I got 200+ reviews. Rejoice, rejoice! So I did this as a present to all my wonderful reviewers. I hope this chapter clears up your confusion! Enjoy!

&

_**12: Queen**_

Ryoma groaned, blinking his eyes groggily. Why did his head hurt so much? A glance at the clock beside his bed told him it was only one in the morning. He groaned again and sat up. Well, at least he tried to. He belatedly realized there was something holding down half of his body. Something which had an arm, was breathing down his neck, and smelled faintly of roses. His eyes shot open.

"Hey!"

The _something_ stirred in his arms and murmured something that suspiciously sounded like his name before _it _finally sat up. Brown eyes that glowed an unholy red stared back at him for the second time. "Hello."

Ryoma stared at her. She seemed awfully familiar. He thought for a while, forgetting that there was an unknown person on his bed and he really shouldn't be thinking of such trivial things like where he saw her last until the unknown person smiled and wrapped both arms around his neck and promptly invaded his personal space. "Hey!"

A giggle. "Ryoma-kun!"

He blinked and tried desperately to push her away when she said something that made all the memories come rushing back.

"I want to feed."

_Barefoot in front of the fountain…_

_Green scarf…_

_A smile... "Are you?"_

"_Yes. Such powerful magic."_

"_Our Queen."_

"You're not human." It was weird how calm he sounded.

She smiled _that_ smile at him. "Yes. I'm a vampire."

He nodded, and he would later realize that something must have been wrong with his nervous system because why on earth aren't the warning bells ringing yet? "What's your name?" Ryoma seemed to be missing the most important point here.

She tilted her head slightly. "Isn't Ryoma-kun supposed to know?"

He opened his mouth to say, _No, I don't know who on earth you are, and why are you in my room again?_, when he felt that familiar pulling again, and something whispered inside his head. "Sakuno." It was out of his mouth before he could even think.

Her smile widened in delight, so much so that her canines were showing. "Yes. My name is Sakuno." And she leaned forward, their lips almost touching when the door slammed open. Ryoma blinked, startled.

Echizen Nanjiroh stood in the doorway, an eyebrow raised at their position. "I know she's hot, you stupid brat, but I think you need to know a few things before you make the stupid bonding ritual."

Sakuno sighed and pulled away, pouting. "Mou. Otousan is spoiling all my fun…"

Something clicked in Ryoma's brain. "You cheated on mom?"

The older man rolled his eyes. Something was seriously wrong with his son. "That's not supposed to be your question, brat, and no, I didn't cheat on your mother." He looked almost terrified at the prospect.

Sakuno flashed them a smile before bounding out of the room. Ryoma couldn't help but follow her with his eyes.

Nanjiroh rolled his eyes again. Really. Vampires and their stupid mates and their stupid hormones. "Let's go."

&

"I'm what?!"

"You're her mate, or fiancé, or whatever," Sumire repeated for the ninth time. "Or maybe blood bank would be more appropriate."

"Obaasan!" Sakuno looked scandalized. "Ryoma-kun is not my blood bank!"

Looking at her now, Ryoma thought she almost looked normal, if you ignored her unnatural eyes and the way the air around her seemed to crackle with barely restrained magic. Yup. All human. _If_ you ignored the way her fangs showed when she smiled that dangerous smile of hers. "So," he started, and immediately he felt that gaze on him. A tingle shot through his spine. He coughed to hide a blush when he actually _felt _her smile. "What do I do?"

Nanjiroh sat up in his seat. "You mean you're okay with it?"

"It's not like I have a choice." He didn't miss the look both vampires exchanged. His eyebrow rose. "You mean I have?"

Sakuno fiddled with a strand of her auburn hair uncomfortably. He decided she looked adorable when nervous. "You see, when you do reject my offer…" Ryoma noted the use of _when_ instead of _if_. Was she really going to give him a choice? "You're going to be free prey for the other vampires."

Maybe not.

At his stricken expression, she continued hastily, "But Ryoma-kun shouldn't worry because my house would do everything in its power to keep your family safe, so Ryoma-kun shouldn't force himself."

"It's not that easy, brat," Nanjiroh interrupted in an unusually serious voice.

Ryoma realized he was going to hear something really bad when his stupid perverted oyaji spoke in that tone.

"The Ryuzaki line has been protecting the whole of Tokyo for a long time," Sumire started. "Since the new queen has awakened, the balance has tipped more to our favor. By now you should know that there are vampires all around the world. Our house is entrusted to control vampire movement so that humans would not know of our existence."

It was a stupid question, but he asked it anyway. "Why?"

"Because there would be war." It was Sakuno, and her eyes glowed that unholy red again. "If our existence is known, the vampires would kill, and the human race would be wiped out." She offered him a small smile. "Rest assured though that my family would do its best to aid the humans."

"However, if you refuse our queen's offer," Sumire continued in a grave tone. "Any chances of survival would vanish."

Ok. So maybe he didn't really have a choice.

"Vampires would flock to Tokyo to pursue you, and we can only do so much to hold our ground. Our queen, without her mate's blood, would eventually succumb to the blood lust, and we would be forced to kill her." Sakuno didn't even flinch. She merely stared at him straight-on.

It was not bravery. Just acceptance of what was to happen should circumstances arise.

"Without our queen, our strength will fall drastically, and I'm not exaggerating when I say the world will fall to our kind."

"If I do refuse Sakuno," Ryoma started, pointedly ignoring the way her eyes softened at his use of her name. "Why would they pursue me?"

Nanjiroh, who until now remained quiet, scoffed. "Because you _were_ the _queen's mate_, you stupid brat. Of course they would think something was in your blood which makes the queen practically invincible."

"You mean there is?"

"No," came Sakuno's soft voice. "There is nothing in your blood, Ryoma-kun." She met his gaze. "There is only love."

&

"Echizen, what are you spacing out for? Focus!"

Ryoma resisted the urge to glare at Tezuka-buchou. Was it his fault that he can't even think properly for morning practice? Growling in frustration, he hit the tennis ball with more force than necessary and watched as it sailed over the net and hit the fence with a rattle. He was already running when Tezuka instructed him to run twenty laps.

Stupid buchou.

He was on his twelfth lap when he felt that pulling again. By now he knew that it was some sort of alert signal. _She _was near_. _His steps slowed down. Why was she here? From the corner of his eye he saw Tezuka-buchou glaring at him again, and he groaned, picking up his pace. That girl was messing with his brain. He would finish morning practice, and then…

And then he would go to that stupid girl and accept her stupid proposal and tell her maybe he loved her too.

_Che. She better be happy_.

&

Ryoma was trying to take a nap, ignoring the whispers and giggles of his female classmates, while waiting for their teacher when he felt _her_ again. He sat up so quickly the students near him were surprised.

She was coming. He knew it.

To say the students were shocked when Echizen Ryoma practically threw open the door, grabbed the student entering, and kissed her senseless would be an understatement. The wails of thousands of girls could be heard for miles.

As for Ryoma, as soon as his lips touched hers, he felt a rush of power, and he would swear later on to himself that he felt his breathing literally stop before the whole world came crashing back down on him, and he could feel every part of his body that touched hers.

The kiss was awkward, and Ryoma didn't know where to place his lips, and maybe his nose was broken just a little.

It was phenomenal.

When he pulled himself away from her, her mouth was opened slightly, her eyes surprised, and Ryoma prayed that he was right on thinking that a kiss was a 'stupid bonding ritual' because maybe he liked kissing her and would like to kiss her, a lot more times if you please, and he wasn't very familiar with vampire rites (heck, who was?), but if she was smiling a warm smile that reminded him of spring and cherry blossoms, and there were _no_ butterflies in his stomach, he told himself firmly, then that means everything was all right?

Sakuno stepped inside the room and bowed gracefully to their stunned spectators. "My name is Ryuzaki Sakuno, Ryoma-kun's girl friend. Nice to meet you all."

He caught the mischievous look in her eyes and scoffed, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Maybe marrying this particular vampire wouldn't be so bad after all.

&

Yes. Yes. Yes! I'm done. Hurray! I finally made a sequel to _Winter_. It was awfully hard, you know, because I know nothing about vampires and I sort of made them all up. I hope this wasn't confusing because the other chapter was confusing and I hate it when I confuse others. So there.

Thanks much for reading _A Twist of Fate_! It's far from over because I still have a few fics up my sleeve. Hmm… who wants to see Ryoma-kun as a samurai in ancient Japan? I do! Haha. And I'm going to make a sequel for _Date_, so watch out for that too. Again, thanks much to all my readers. I love you all! Ja.

Queen Mist


	13. Chapter 13

Summary: A series of RyoSaku one-shots

**Summary: **A series of RyoSaku one-shots. Ryoma was furious. "Did you just tell me that Ryuzaki thinks I'm gay?!" Slight GP, TezuFuji

To all my wonderful supportive and amazing reviewers, **Rebel of my Destiny**, **SnowCharms**, **Little Minamino**, **Silver Wind Neko**, **Aerophyi**, **Mrs Hatake Itachi**, **Shenhui**, **ChristinaAngel**, **princess**-**oro**, **WalkingDisasters**, **frienz4ever**, **Otakugal**, **CrazyGirlofManyNames**, **PeachxxBlossom**, **Hikari the Keyblade of Hope**, **Seresid**, **animeandmangaaddict**, **Elizabeth Eclair Rose**, **PrincessChii**, **younggem**, **midnight blue08**, **FujixSaku0709**, **Bunny Sailor Moon**, and of course, **TearsandSorrow**! Your helpful comments are much appreciated!

_Chapter 13: Help_

Eiji blinked.

And blinked.

And blinked.

"Senpai, _please_ stop blinking."

The redhead blinked (for one last time) and looked at his teammates gathered around. "Weeeell… what's the meeting for, ochibi? I mean, even Tezuka's here."

The said captain glared at all of them, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"Uhh… can you translate that, Fuji?"

The tensai laughed, ignoring Tezuka's murderous glare. "Tezuka can _speak_, you know. Hmm… he said, 'This better be good'."

Eiji clapped gleefully. "Fuji's so great, nya!"

Ryoma resisted the urge to growl because they were still his seniors, after all. "You see, Eiji-senpai, I have this really big problem."

"Uh-huh, and what does that- what?!"

"Are you sick?"

"Are you hurt?"

"Do you need data?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Is it tennis?"

"Fsshh…"

"Are you harboring this really big crush on a girl, and when you finally decided to confess to her, you suddenly found out she doesn't like you anymore?"

Everyone, even Tezuka, stared at Fuji.

"Weeeell… _that_ was specific."

"You know what," Ryoma gritted out. "You're actually _almost _right."

Momo gasped. "You were _rejected_?!"

Ryoma wanted to punch him. "NO! Will everyone shut up for just _one_ minute?!" He glared darkly at Momo.

"Eh?! You want a fight, Echizen?!"

Oishi sighed helplessly. "Guys, let's just listen to Echizen, all right? I think it's serious enough if he wanted to talk to us about it."

Tezuka raised an eyebrow. "This better be serious if he decided to interrupt our morning practice."

Momo flopped back down onto his seat. "I guess I could give you a minute. _Then_ I'm going to punch you."

"Senpai said stop, you moron."

"You're picking a fight too, Mamushi?"

Ryoma decided to ignore the bickering pair and turned to his other teammates. His face was serious. "Fuji-senpai was right. It's about a girl."

"My data say ninety-seven percent it's Ryuzaki-sensei's granddaughter, 2.2 it's her friend, and the remaining 0.8 it's Tachibana's little sister."

Eiji grinned widely. "Of course it's Ryuzaki-chan!"

"Yes," Ryoma growled. "It's Ryuzaki."

"And she likes you, ochibi! There's absolutely no problem!" Even Tezuka had to agree.

Fuji smiled. "But there is one, right? So, what is it, Echizen?"

The youngest member took a deep breath and looked at each of them straight in the eye. "She thinks I'm gay."

&

_Ryoma was looking at the sky when the door to the rooftop opened. He wasn't surprised to see Osakada Tomoka standing at the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. He raised an eyebrow when she said nothing._

_She rolled her eyes. "Can't you be more civil? I'm doing you a favor here," she huffed. She started walking towards him. "Well, nothing really new. She still likes you _a lot_, blushes whenever your name is mentioned, and can't even think whenever you're three feet away from her."_

_Ryoma nodded. "Does she notice?"_

_Tomo sighed exasperatedly. "Of course she doesn't notice! I mean, it took you three years to notice _she_ likes _you_. No offense, but you honestly don't believe she'll notice you're in love with her or something in just a month. Can't believe I put up with you guys."_

_He frowned. "But I gave her a gift on her birthday and the stupid flowers you said on Valentines, and I walk her home _everyday_, and I greet her _every _morning because you said that'll work. Are you giving me stupid advice?"_

"_Honestly, Ryoma-sama, you are really _really_ clueless in this department. First of all, everybody, even those guys from other teams, gave her a gift on her birthday." She scowled. "I really think that Kirihara likes her. God, how I hate him." She took a deep breath and glared at him. "It's your fault if Sakuno ends up with that guy. Second, in case you didn't notice, Sakuno received tons of flowers on Valentines. I mean, she even got one from Kaidoh-senpai and Momo-senpai and Fuji-senpai and Inui-senpai, and even Tezuka-buchou gave her a flower. Basically, she thought Ryuzaki-sensei told all of you to give her those. Or maybe you did because you were shy?"_

_Ryoma growled. "I am _not_ shy. And if Kirihara touches her, I'll sic Fuji-senpai on him."_

_Tomo rolled her eyes again. "Third, the reason why you walk her home is because _she _asked _you_. It's not exactly a voluntary effort from you, you know. And no matter how much I tell her you _like _walking her home, I bet she's thinking she's being a bother. And lastly, Ryoma-sama, you don't _greet_ her every morning, you _grunt_, and I swear you really need to improve your social skills."_

"_Thanks for the morale boost, Osakada. I think I could go confess to her now," he muttered sarcastically._

"_Oh god, I really wonder what we saw in you those days…"_

"_Is that all?"_

"_Can't you be nicer?"_

_He frowned deeper. "If there's nothing else, leave me alone."_

_Tomo resisted the urge to strangle him. "Ugh. You better make her happy, you ungrateful jerk. Well, I don't want to surprise you or anything, but you can choose which one to hear first: bad news or more bad news."_

"_Not funny, Osakada. Just get on with it."_

_She shrugged. "Bad news: the guys who like her got fed up waiting for you to make a move, so they're going in for the kill."_

_He smirked. "Let me see them try."_

_She shook her head at his arrogance. "More bad news: Sakuno thinks you're gay." There was a _very _awkward silence after that. When he didn't start protesting or anything, she continued. "Well, I'm not really surprised, what with your team and all. I mean, what is wrong with all the tennis teams? It must be a lack of female influence. But I can't blame you or anything. I think it's kind of cute. There are some really pretty boys out there, like Eiji-senpai and Fuji-senpai." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "The Golden Pair is going strong, right? And I heard there was something going in with Kaidoh-senpai and Inui-senpai, what with all those training sessions they have together. But who did Fuji-senpai end up with? Last thing I heard Tezuka-buchou's got competition. It must be that Saeki guy because Taka-senpai wouldn't go up against Tezuka-buchou, right?"_

_He took a_ _deep breath then growled. Ryoma was _furious_. "Did you just tell me that Ryuzaki thinks I'm _gay_?!"_

"_No. I was saying Tezuka-buchou and Fuji-senpai were meant for each other."_

_He ran a hand through his hair, and Tomo got the impression that he was like a bird with its feathers ruffled the wrong way. "Who," he cleared his throat. "Who does she think I'm i-involved with?"_

_She smirked. "It's actually a really long list. There's Momo-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai and Fuji-senpai and Tezuka-buchou. Of course there's Atobe-san from Hyotei and Sanada-san from Rikkai and Ibu-san from Fudomine and that Akutsu guy from Yamabuki. The latest rumor was you were having an affair with Fuji Yuuta-kun from St. Rudolph behind his brother's back."_

_For once, Ryoma was actually stunned. "That many? And the monkey king? Are they crazy?"_

_Tomo sighed. "And it's really no wonder that Sakuno would think like that because you were so 'involved' with a lot of guys that I still can't figure out what kind of polygon your relationships are." She glanced at him. "Well, she still really likes you, but you better make a _really_ good move soon." She turned around and started walking away. "I think she just might start rooting for you and Momo-senpai."_

_The door closed._

_He was in really big trouble. _

&

"Oh my god, ochibi. Akutsu? That's just…" Eiji trailed off, shuddering. From the sides, Kaidoh was hissing and sputtering in embarrassment.

"I'm sure none of that was true, Eiji," Fuji said softly. "Especially that one with Yuuta, right, Echizen?" The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees.

"Hell no!" Ryoma was indignant. And scandalized. And furious. "I'm straight, all right? It's all your fault!" Everybody wondered if Ryoma was going to have a tantrum at that moment.

He didn't.

He flopped back down in his seat and growled in frustration. "Can't you do something?" He glared at Momo. "And you! Why aren't you still with that girl from Fudomine? You like her, right?!"

Momo raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm _sorry_, Your Highness. Why don't you talk to An-chan about it? And believe me when I say I do not appreciate getting paired up with you. " He looked around. "I think the most important question is, are Fuji-senpai and Tezuka-buchou going out?" He clamped a hand around Ryoma's mouth to keep him from interrupting.

"Mmmph mmm mmhmmmph ngh nghmmph!" (Translation: "That's not important, you bastards!")

Inui adjusted his glasses. "I was wondering about that too. There was nothing in my data that said Tezuka was harboring a crush on Fuji, or anyone at all."

Taka fiddled with his fingers nervously. "And don't worry, Tezuka. I don't have a crush on Fuji-kun or anything so…"

"Well?" Eiji prompted.

Fuji managed a strained smile. "Of course we're not going out, Eiji. Tezuka didn't really say he liked me or anything…"

"I kissed you, didn't I?" Tezuka snapped.

The room fell silent.

Fuji's smile grew even more forced. "That didn't count, Tezuka. It was on the cheek, and you were drunk, and I think you might have mistaken me for your mother."

"Man, that must have hurt," Momo stage-whispered. The force of Tezuka's glare made him cower in his seat.

"Fine," Tezuka said.

Eiji blinked. "Fine what? Can you translate that Fuji?"

The tensai blinked. "I must have gotten it wrong, Eiji, because I think that just meant he's going to kiss me right now, but that's just impossible, right?"

Tezuka growled and wrapped a strong arm around Fuji's waist, and Ryoma had to close his eyes to spare himself the embarrassment of seeing the two top players of his team making out.

_Very _awkward silence.

When the two showed no signs of stopping whatever they were doing, Oishi finally decided to speak up because they were going to be late for their morning classes and Ryoma still has a very big problem. "Well," he started, blushing. "That was very unfortunate, Echizen. If there are any suggestions to help him…"

Eiji was staring openly at the newfound(?) couple when he suddenly got an idea. "Hey, ochibi, I have a plan…"

&

Sakuno was walking cheerfully to the tennis courts and humming to herself. It really was no surprise that she's happy because one, she'll be seeing Ryoma-kun, and two- well, seeing Ryoma-kun was enough to make her happy. Even though there were a lot of girls who were there to see him, she would do her best to cheer for him because- well, she didn't really need to have a reason for everything, right? She was almost there when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and dragged into the cover of the trees.

"Ryoma-kun!" she gasped as she saw the face of her 'attacker'.

"Look, I," he cleared his throat. "I know you don't know I like you, but I really do and-" He discreetly looked at the note his senpais gave him. It said, _You mean the world to me, and I would like my children to look like you, so please marry-_ what the hell?! He groaned inwardly. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the small smile that graced Sakuno's features. He started when he felt a hand on his arm.

"I'm not that dense, Ryoma-kun," she said softly.

"What?"

Her smile widened although there was a tint of pink on her cheeks. "I noticed when you started to…" Her blush deepened. "It is rather obvious when coming from you."

His jaw dropped. "B-but-"

"I-I really like you too," she murmured before pulling his head down for a kiss. Ryoma's head was spinning, but he did manage to kiss her back.

Much later, he would decide whether to kill Osakada or thank her… just a little bit.

&

"You're evil," Momo commented.

Tomo rolled her eyes. "Well, I had to do _something_."

"You wouldn't believe the inner turmoil ochibi went through after your talk…"

She laughed and glanced at the new couple affectionately. When she saw her best friend smile warmly at the (slightly) blushing tennis prince, her smile softened. "He really is dense if he believed all that…"

&

Oh my god. I finally finished. This fic was on the verge of becoming a tezufuji fic because aren't they just so cute? Anyway, I hoped you liked the ending. I really enjoyed doing this one, especially the flashback. Tomo-chan rocks! Thanks for reading this one. I'm sorry if anybody didn't like the homo themes, but I really love the Golden Pair and tezufuji. There's inukai too, if you squint, so there. Hope everybody enjoyed this!

Thanks much for reading!

Queen Mist

P.S. I'm sorry if the update took too long. I didn't have much time and resources to actually post so soon. Thanks for those who waited!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary: **A series of RyoSaku one-shots. AU Ryoma doesn't believe in soul mates... but he waits all the same. Vampire!Ryoma

**Disclaimer**: I seem to have forgotten writing this lately, but no, POT is still not mine.

Warning: Might just be a bit fluffy. I try to vary the genre of my chapters.

First off, much thanks to the people who reviewed my story (it really means a lot when you review every single chapter. i feel really humbled.). I dedicate this to all the people who were patient enough to wait for my next updates and still manage to cheer for me. Also, this is for my best friend (who might or might not be reading this. I'm not sure. She was the one who started the _Twilight_ fever, and now I'm incurable)... To my reviewers- **TearsandSorrow**, **Shenhui**, **crazyme28**, **Juuroku-sama**, **Aerophyi**, **ChristinaAngel**, **darkcherrykiryu93**, **syNemYoA** _(i'm really thankful for the multiple reviews! This one's for you.),_ **astraldrop11** _(thank you for the awesome comments. this one's for you too!),_ **Viorel** _(I'm a bit surprised you actually reviewed, but thanks for the comment. i'll try not to overdo it next time. hehe.),_ **Hikari the Keyblade of Hope**, **BanditsoftheSea**, **Sheiryy**, **Otakugal**, **Jyra** _(I think your comment was possibly one of the best ones i've ever had. so now i'm inspired! i'm glad you liked it.),_ **WalkingDisasters**, **Meeh-san**, **silverquill-87**, **PrincessChii**, and **SnowCharms**- much love!

_**14: Brown**_

"_It's like you've always been seeing in gray, and when that person comes in your life, everything suddenly flashes with color, and you feel dizzy by this onslaught of emotions."_

&

His golden eyes glanced around the classroom disinterestedly. One week in the town and already he could see what the other students think of him. The first day had been interesting. The girls, and even some of the boys, had tried to make friends, but one look into his cool gaze immediately had them backing away.

Call it an innate sense of preservation, maybe.

They felt there was something off with him. Something lurking beneath his brilliant gold eyes. He let his lips curl up into a smirk. He knew it as well.

Because he was a vampire.

&

"_It's more like the whole world stops existing for one moment, and then you're falling and falling, but you don't want to stop because you realize you can finally _breathe_."_

&

A few years later, he found himself in an entirely different town, in an entirely different country, with entirely different classmates. It would be too suspicious, he knew, if they stayed in one place too long. Eventually, the people would notice that they would not age.

That they were not normal.

That they were not human.

Like most times, he was sitting in a corner of the room, isolated from the rest of the crowd. He did not seek companionship, nor did he want it. Their kind had always been used to the solitude, and Ryoma was smart enough to realize why.

His eyes scanned the crowd fleetingly, trying hard not to commit each face into his memory. It had already become a habit because Ryoma did not want to remember each and every person that he would see. Not forgetting their faces was hard enough; knowing every little thing about that person and remembering it for the rest of his existence was not something even he could bear.

At times like this, he knew his gift was a curse.

&

"_No, no. It's more like you've been living your whole life blind, but when that person looks at you, you see every detail, every move. Everything becomes shockingly clear, and you want to close your eyes but at the same time you don't want to miss anything."_

&

He was growing older.

Not physically, of course. But if he was human, Ryoma knew he would be at least ninety by now. He didn't know why but he was oddly comforted by the thought. Whatever it was, it gave him enough reason to be in a good mood. He even smiled to a few of his classmates that day. The girls, confused by his unusually amiable attitude but unwilling to pass up a chance to finally be friends with the inexplicably beautiful ice prince, tried to talk with him. Smirking inwardly to himself, he answered their questions politely enough, ignoring the blush on their cheeks and the hearts in their eyes.

By lunch, there was a not-so-large crowd around him, and somebody shouted the fact that it was his birthday.

"Oh, Echizen-kun! How old are you now?"

He smiled easily. He was going to murder his old man. "Nineteen."

"Eh? But you don't look older than sixteen!"

He merely shrugged and diverted the attention back to lunch. As if embarrassed, the girls gave him boxes of chocolates and a round blueberry cake. An eyebrow raised. Seems like they were prepared for this. He accepted the gifts that he would not remember eating and thanked each one of them. For some reason, he felt a bit humbled by the gesture.

Only when he was on the way home that he realized why he was glad it was his birthday.

He haven't forgotten his humanity.

&

"_It's a bit hard explaining this to you because maybe it'd happen to you differently. But it's almost like every moment you spend with that person is nearly not enough, but you're ready to give your _everything_ to that person even if it's a bit terrifying. It's an all-consuming emotion, but it feels too much like love to pass it up."_

&

It was on his 100th birthday that he saw her. He looked at her curiously from afar, wondering what it was about her that threw him off somewhat. She looked human enough- too human, in fact- but there was just _something_ that kept him from looking away from her.

She was obviously waiting for somebody, he thought, since she was checking her watch every few minutes. When she was looking away for a moment, Ryoma took that moment to examine her face closely. She was pretty, he finally decided. Her light brown hair fell past her shoulders in soft waves, and her unusually blue eyes were gentle. She looked up then, and he found himself staring at a young man rushing towards her. She smiled brilliantly, and Ryoma felt a bit disconcerted. There was just _something_ about her…

The young man with the spiky black hair and strangely warm brown eyes was apologizing profusely for his tardiness, but the girl just laughed and took his hand.

Ryoma shook his head. He had already known she wasn't the one for him, but a quick glance in her mind told him everything- she was devoted, mind, body, and soul to the man beside her.

With this sudden revelation, he got more curious. If she wasn't for him, then why was he drawn to her so?

She had looked around then, and her gaze seemed to hold his for a second before she turned away and smiled to her boyfriend.

That moment had been enough, though. Ryoma was assaulted with visions of an auburn-haired girl with familiar warm brown eyes smiling up at him shyly. And he closed his eyes.

He couldn't see the future, but he knew what he saw in his mind's eye.

&

"_And you may have to wait long. It may take years or even hundreds of years to find that person. For our kind, time is nothing, but it may slow and even become unbearable. We are used to loneliness, but we feel it just the same. When you find her though…" And at this, Echizen Ryoga smiled. "It feels like you haven't waited at all."_

&

Ryoma doesn't believe in soul mates, but he is still not-human, and so he waits.

&

Whew. I finished this in one sitting. See, I was sorta inspired by a scene from _Eclipse_ (I started reading the whole series recently, and I'm currently on the 3rd book), what with all the soul mates thing. And I was thinking on how to start with another vampire fic with Ryoma as the vampire, so this came up.

I tried really hard not to liken it so much to _Twilight_, and I think a pretty decent job. If there are some similarities, I suppose that's entirely intended. I actually like this one a bit, and some questions will be answered by the next chapter. Hope everybody enjoyed it!

Thanks for reading!

Queen Mist


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary: **A series of RyoSaku one-shots. AU Sakuno wants to believe in soul mates, and so she simply waits. Vampire!Ryoma

**Disclaimer**: I seem to have forgotten writing this lately, but no, POT is still not mine.

**Warning**: Might just be a bit fluffier. I couldn't quite help myself.

To my lovely readers, I would like to hug you all. I've got 300+ reviews! 300! I think it's pretty amazing, and I only got YOU to thank. I may not show it (or I _may_, I'm not that sure), but I'm actually rather greedy for reviews. It's like an obsession, so you can't imagine how _glad_ I am to have 300+ reviews. Waaaaa! Anyway, I'm babbling, so let's get on with the story. I've actually already finished _Breaking Dawn_, so I already feel some closure. Haha. Expect the last instalment sometime soon (I haven't actually started it).

My reviewers- **KenRik, midnight blue08, PrincessChii** (thanks so much for the review! I liked the italics too. c:), **Princess Ren** (wow. you have all four books? I've already finished them- which I borrowed from my classmates. you absolutely must start reading now!), **Otakugal** (vampires are definitely cool.), **Shenhui** (yes, here's the continuation! and there's still another one, because I'm having way too much fun with this concept. hehe.), **syNemYoA** (I hope it's a good kind of different. thanks for the review!), **Miyuki Meiru, Kanata Saionji** (well... I haven't actually thought of that. see, all the stories aren't really related at all. it's just I find it easier to post stories one chapter at a time. everything just comes to me as I write it, so two-shots- or in this case, three-shots- just happen. hope that clears anything.), **Hikari the Keyblade of Hope **(er... no, actually. the third instalment would probably explain everything.-grins-), **Hikari Sakura chan, SnowCharms** (-grins- best adjective I've received. thanks!), **riri101** (omg, thank you. I appreciate it when people like my style. I get very weird, see?), **Viorel** (I must say that you really are rather vague. -laughs- good thing I actually know what you're talking about. continue reading my stories please.), **Aerophyi** (fluff is good. I wholeheartedly agree.), **ChristinaAngel** (ah yes. the Twilight does that to people. I hope I'm still original enough. C:), **FujixSaku0709** (by any chance, are you more of a ryosaku shipper than a fujisaku? just wondering. -grins innocently-), and **TearsandSorrow** (a complete series with Ryoma as a vampire? I'll think of it. I'm not very good with series, see, but I'll think of it.)- much love!

This is dedicated to my best friend, J.V. Please stop deluding yourself that it's not you. This is really for you. You'll live.

Enjoy reading!

&

_Chapter 15: Gold_

For as long as she could remember, she had been dreaming every night. Every time she closed her eyes.

Of pale pale skin.

Of a touch so cold but strangely comforting.

Of gentle touches and even gentler whispers.

Of brilliant gold eyes.

And then she would wake up, and those eyes were practically seared into her mind. She doesn't understand, but she never tried to anyway. She doesn't think she's crazy, but there must be something wrong with her.

Maybe she was thinking too much, but a part of her still wants to believe.

Sakuno thinks of her soul mate, and so she just waits.

&

"Saku-chan!"

She looked around and spotted her childhood best friend waving energetically at her. She smiled, thanked the kind motherly woman who served her lunch, and walked over to her friend's table. "Tomo-chan, were you dismissed early?" she asked, nodding warmly at the boy who scooted over to give her some space. She didn't notice the said boy blush to the tips of his ears.

Tomoka grinned at her friend's obliviousness. "Yup! Kitahara-sensei had to go to an emergency meeting." She suddenly swatted the hand creeping not-so-stealthily towards her lunch. "I already cooked some for you. Be content!" she said sternly to her boyfriend of six months, Horio. The said boy started to whine good-naturedly about how much of a tyrant his girlfriend was, but this was already too much like routine, so everybody ignored him.

Sakuno leaned forward curiously. "Really? Do you know what it was about?"

Tomo shook her head. "I heard of a new student, but I don't see what all the fuss is about. Anyway, we're lucky I got to save us a table!"

Sakuno smiled again, and she didn't notice as chopsticks abruptly clattered to the table. Tomo just rolled her eyes, discreetly kicking their male friends, who were gawking at Sakuno like they've never seen her before, under the table.

Honestly. They were so pathetic sometimes.

"Ryuzaki-san?"

Heads swivelled toward the source of the sound, and the boy who spoke up, Kachiro, flushed in embarrassment at the attention. Tomo couldn't quite hide her grin. Finally. Some guts.

Sakuno blinked at being suddenly addressed by someone other than Tomo or Horio, and the smile that suddenly bloomed on her face was almost enough to make even Tomoka blush. "Ah, Kachiro-san. What is it?"

Kachiro rubbed his nape in a self-conscious fashion. "Well, I sort of heard it was your birthday today…?" His voice ended in a question.

"Oh my god, you're right!" came Tomo's shocked voice. "I can't believe I almost forgot!" And she promptly rummaged around in her bag, obviously for her gift.

Sakuno was stunned when everybody suddenly shoved their presents to her. "O-oh. I can't possibly… I mean, it's not really a big deal…" She trailed off when she saw their hopeful faces. Her lips formed an almost-exasperated but still affectionate smile. "But thank you for this. I really appreciate it." Her gaze was too warm and sincere, and as Tomo looked at the males around her, she wondered if her best friend knew just how _many_ boys have fallen in love with her at that moment.

&

"You know," Tomo started genially. "There is _seriously_ something wrong with you."

Sakuno stopped in her tracks and turned to look at her best friend, her brown eyes confused. "What do you mean, Tomo-chan?"

The taller girl sighed exasperatedly, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and proceeded walking. "Don't give me that look. I'm immune." Sakuno laughed slightly. "Well, as I was saying, it's either you're too dense or too evil."

"Eh?"

The honesty in her voice just confirmed Tomo's suspicions. "All right. You're dense." Her lips twitched. "So I'll just explain it to you. Ever heard of love at first sight?"

Sakuno nodded uncertainly.

Tomo rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "It's a bit hard to explain it since I haven't experienced it first hand. Horio isn't exactly love at first sight material. But you see, dear oblivious friend, I think it's a bit like that when people look at you."

"You mean they fall in love with me?"

"Yes!" Tomo grinned triumphantly. "I made you realize your heartbreaking ways! Everyone would worship me!"

Sakuno looked affronted. "I'm not a heartbreaker."

"Of course you're not," Tomo agreed quickly. "More like… I dunno… a siren, I guess."

"I don't eat people's hearts!"

"Of course you don't." Tomo suddenly stopped walking, and she turned to face her friend, for once her eyes serious. "But you do understand what I'm talking about right?"

Sakuno lowered her head. "Yes," she whispered softly. "I completely understand."

Tomo sighed and patted her head. "It's not your fault, I know. I've witnessed everything since preschool." She looked away and finally asked what's been bothering her for so long. "Have you never loved? Anyone at all?"

The answer surprised her. "I am in love, Tomo-chan," Sakuno murmured, her eyes closed. "I just don't know with whom."

&

The next day was unusually terribly chaotic. As soon as she stepped on the school grounds, she noticed students running about, some clustered in groups of twos or threes or more, their whispers a mix of surprise and delight and awe. Being her usual ignorant self, she continued to walk towards the main entrance of the building.

It was almost too late when she noticed the motorcycle speeding towards her.

She only had time to see the rider trying desperately to change directions and the screams of her classmates registering numbly in her ears when everything suddenly stopped for a fleeting millisecond and then-

She opened her eyes, and the erratic pounding of her heart almost drowned out the shouts of the crowd. She was alive, it was the first thought in her mind. How? The thought followed quickly. She could see Tomo rushing towards her, concern and slight panic in her eyes, and Sakuno wanted to reach out to her friend and tell her she was okay, but Tomo had stopped a few feet away from her, her features shifting quickly into shock and disbelief, and she was looking at something past her shoulder, and only then did Sakuno realize the arm around her waist and something that felt like someone's cheek (but it was so hard!) pressed at the back of her head and the faint trembling.

And the coldness, she told herself. It was almost bitingly cold.

She almost didn't dare look up, but there was something almost familiar about the embrace, and she could see the pale pale skin, and the trembling still wouldn't stop. So she turned around and for the first time, she met the hauntingly beautiful face of Echizen Ryoma.

&

Sakuno had been in a daze all throughout the day after her near-accident. A lot of her friends and classmates approached her with concern, and she had managed to give them a smile that somehow reassured them.

She didn't know how they could possibly believe her.

Because her stomach was twisting in knots, and she felt like she was drowning, but she was somehow still breathing. She was terrified.

Tomoka easily picked up on her state of mind and tried her hardest to comfort her. She explained everything that had happened. One moment she was nearly run over by the motorcycle, but the next she was suddenly pulled out of harm's way. Nobody saw how it really happened, but Tomo was just glad her best friend was alive. "He was the new student I was talking about," Tomo whispered quietly. "His name is Echizen Ryoma."

Echizen Ryoma.

It was like being run over by a freight train, except she knew that she was alive. She whispered that name to herself and almost shivered at how everything just seemed to _click_.

Sakuno was dense, but she wasn't stupid. She knew what she was feeling. She knew that her wait was over.

Because Echizen Ryoma had the most brilliant gold eyes.

&

All right. I can't quite make it into a two-shot, and there are still some questions left unanswered, so expect another chapter soon. I actually like this one too, and please don't question why Sakuno seems more like _Edward_ when she's supposed to be a human. (I'm sure I can't possibly make her _Bella._) I didn't want her to be her usual adorable self. It's easier this way.

I hope everyone like this one. It was fun writing it! Reviews are much much appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Queen Mist


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary: **A series of RyoSaku one-shots. AU They both had waited for so long, until they finally found their place in each other's arms. Vampire!Ryoma

**Disclaimer**: POT is still not mine, even if I wished really really hard for my birthday.

**Warning**: Weirdness up ahead. Fluff, maybe.

_Chapter 16: Together_

"Um… Echizen Ryoma-kun?"

Ryoma went very, very still. _She called me_, it was the foremost thought in his mind. He had to force the stupid grin from his face before he turned to her, glittering gold eyes betraying the elation in his otherwise impassive face. "What is it?"

Sakuno smiled nervously then bowed, her arms outstretched in front of her. "I-I never had the chance to thank you yesterday so, um, please accept this."

Ryoma let his mouth curl up in a small smile. She really was rather adorable. "Lunch?" He stared at the box in front of him, wondering what was inside. Of course, he wouldn't really _taste_ it, but maybe he could somehow find a way to preserve its contents. It was _her_ first gift after all. Maybe the silence was a bit longer than necessary, as he could see the tips of her ears going an interesting shade of red.

"Well, yes, but if you don't want it-"

"No!" Her head shot up in surprise. "I mean," he coughed slightly. "I would like to have it. Thank you." He took the bento from her hands a little more quickly than he normally would, afraid she would change her mind.

Her smile was a little shy, a little amused, and a little warm, and Ryoma wondered how he could possibly forget how pretty his soul mate was. "O-oh. I hope it would suit your tastes. I'll see you around, Echizen-kun."

"Ryuzaki, wait!"

She blinked curiously. "Yes?"

"Please." His voice was much much gentler than he thought it could ever be. "Call me Ryoma."

She seemed taken aback for a moment before she nodded. When she turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of something in her eyes that eased the tightening in his heart just a little bit. "Of course. Ja ne, Ryoma-kun."

&

"I can't believe someone _that_ good-looking exists."

Sakuno looked at the direction her best friend was looking and promptly ducked her head, blushing. "Good-looking is too much of an understatement, Tomo-chan," she mumbled.

Tomoka raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" She leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs and grinning. "Well, I suppose you're right. You _did _get really up close and personal with Ryoma-sama."

Sakuno buried her face in her hands in embarrassment. "You don't need to keep reminding me every time, Tomo." Her cheeks were a fiery red now. "Ryoma-kun was just being nice."

"Uh-huh," Tomo smiled indulgently. "Whatever you say, Sakuno. Seriously though, now that I think about it, I don't really know how he managed to save you." At Sakuno's blank look, she explained, "The teachers said the motorcycle was running at 200 kilometers per hour. Then it just stopped, and the rider only got a few scratches. And you! You, who almost _died_, were pulled out a few centimetres out of harm's way in a few- what?- milliseconds. Either he has amazing reflexes or he's not human."

Sakuno felt the blood drain out of her face.

When Tomo saw her pallor, she hastily amended her words. "Of course I was joking, Sakuno! It's probably his reflexes that did it, and man, was he fast!"

Sakuno forced out a laugh, and Tomo joined with her giggles. Inside though, Sakuno's mind was working a mile a minute.

_Either he has amazing reflexes or he's not human._

Not human.

_Ryoma-kun…_

She glanced at him and found a pair of gold eyes looking straight at her.

_Mine._

She looked away.

&

"_Ne, Sakuno-chan, what are you looking at?"_

_Seven-year old Sakuno blinked owlishly at her mother. "I don't know."_

_Ryuzaki Chiharu smiled fondly at her daughter, her unusual blue eyes warm. "Hmm… maybe you're waiting for somebody, ne?"_

_Sakuno tilted her head curiously to the side, and she pursed her lips in thought. "Waiting for somebody?" There was a long moment of silence, and Chiharu almost left her daughter to her thoughts when the child spoke up. "Kaa-san?"_

_Chiharu knelt in front of her. "Hai, Sakuno?" She was surprised by the clarity in the brown eyes._

"_I think someone's waiting for me."_

_Chiharu blinked, then her eyes softened. "Maybe there is."_

_&_

"_Ne, anata…"_

_Ryuzaki Kyosuke looked up from reading the morning paper, surprised to find his wife looking curiously out the window. "Is something wrong, Haru?"_

"_Do you believe in vampires?"_

_He raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly."_

_She offered him a wry smile. "Of course not." There was a pause. "Do you believe in soul mates then?"_

_He grinned. "Of course not." He stood up and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Although, I suppose I should. I did meet you after all, didn't I?"_

_She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You really are pretty good with words, aren't you?" _

"_You still love me, right?" he asked teasingly. "But really, what brought this on?"_

_She smiled softly and rubbed her swollen belly. "Nothing much, ne, little one?"_

_A large hand covered hers. "What are we going to name her?"_

"_Sakuno."_

_She caught a flash of gold outside the window, and her smile widened._

_&_

_Echizen Ryoma was never uncomfortable in front of other people, but with the mother of his soul mate right in front of him looking at him with penetrating blue eyes, he felt stripped bare of everything. He could blow this, and he knew it. And then he would live alone. Again._

"_How do you know?" Her voice was quiet. Curious._

"_I-" He swallowed inaudibly. "I can read minds."_

_Her mouth twitched in amusement. "Oh? Are you reading mine?"_

"_I try not to." That elicited a laugh out of her, and he smiled slightly for the first time that night._

"_That doesn't really answer my question, though."_

"_Well, I'm… I'm a…" He couldn't force himself to say it. Not in front of this woman. "Are you not human?" he asked instead._

"_Yes. I'm a witch."_

_His eyes widened in surprise, but a quick peek at her thoughts told him she was lying. "You're-"_

_She half-smiled. "I got you, didn't I?"_

"_A bit," he admitted. "Then how can you tell? _I _could be lying."_

"_Yes, but I choose to believe you," she said softly. "Because I think you're a good-" She paused. "Well, not-human I suppose."_

_He couldn't help but smile again. "Thank you." It was the first time he said it so sincerely. "Thank you." And he would say it again and again._

_She grinned. "Well…" She stood up and offered him a hand to shake. "I have to go. I wouldn't want my future son-in-law to wait long now would I?"_

_He shook her hand, his gold eyes bright. Ryoma wondered why he felt a bit like crying and why he doesn't feel ashamed to do it in front of this woman. "Thank you."_

_She turned to go. "You probably know it, but my name is Ryuzaki Chiharu."_

"_It was a pleasure meeting you, Ryuzaki-san. I am Echizen Ryoma."_

&

Ryoma tensed when he heard footsteps. He turned around slowly, closing his eyes briefly as if in prayer, and met the warm brown eyes of his soul mate.

Sakuno smiled slightly, tucking a stray lock of auburn hair behind her ear. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Ryoma-kun."

He shrugged. "It was no problem." They kept staring at each other for a moment, until Sakuno sighed and walked towards him. His eyes widened, and it took all of his willpower to stand his ground. "Ryuzaki?" She was determined, that much he could tell, and for once, Ryoma wished he could read someone's mind.

She laughed gently at the almost-panicked expression on his face and placed a hand on his cheek. He froze. Her smile dropped, and her eyes lowered. "You're so cold."

He couldn't move. He couldn't think. He couldn't even breathe. Why was she touching him?

When she looked up, there were tears in her eyes, and Ryoma could only stare in shock. "I'm sorry I made you wait for so long."

His breath caught. _What?_

When she received no response, she offered a small smile. "I-I'm not exactly sure what you are, Ryoma-kun, b-but it doesn't matter." She took a shaky breath. "I think I might be in love with you."

Ryoma couldn't believe he was actually hearing _this_ from her. His eyes were burnished amber. "Ryuzaki-" He swallowed. "You don't know what you're offering," he whispered hoarsely.

"I know." Her gaze bore into his, and Ryoma was powerless to resist the warmth in her eyes. He crushed her to him, burying his face in the fall of her hair. He could almost feel her smile as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and he wondered if there was anything more right than this.

"You are my life now," he murmured fervently, pressing his lips to her temple. "Always and forever."

She gripped him tighter. "I love you."

He closed his eyes tightly, almost afraid that if he cried, he wouldn't stop. "I love you more." And he meant it. He would love her forever and ever, until there was nothing else. He didn't ask how she knew, because it wouldn't matter.

In time, he would tell her.

Right now, he was content to simply hold her in his arms.

&

Oh god. Finally. The end of my _Twilight _version of ryosaku. I even inserted a line from the movie. Hehe. Much apology to **Viorel**. I couldn't think of anything to add for the fourth chapter so I finished it here. The ending was pretty much rushed, but I hope it was still ok. Also to **astraldrop11**, I couldn't quite think of any title appropriate. I was thinking about _Ocher_, but I couldn't relate it to the chapter.

I can't reply to my reviews yet, but I'll probably do it next time. I'm really sorry if I haven't updated as quickly as I promised (I'm a liar, I know –cringes in a corner-), but I'm doing my best.

I can already sense a severe writer's block coming. Oh well.

Thanks for my readers and reviewers. Drop a review when you can!

Queen Mist


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary:** A series of RyoSaku one-shots. When Ryuzaki Sakuno turns back into a kid, she gets a taste of life with the Echizens.

A/N: My last oneshot series received so much appreciation that I'm almost moved to tears. I love all my readers. I'm sorry I can't reply to all of you, but I'm really really thankful to my readers for giving feedback, even if it's just a sentence or two. I love you all, really!

Next, I apologize for the weirdness of this chapter. This one was written pretty long ago, but I didn't have the guts to post it then. But, since I haven't updated in _so_ long, I posted this. No worries, I'm working on a much better one, but this one's OK too. Some themes are similar to _Detective Conan_, which I don't own as well. Oh, reviews are much appreciated still. Read on then!

_Chapter 17: Chance_

Sakuno blinked groggily. Where was she? She sat up slowly and looked around. She remembered going to the park, sitting on a bench to read a book, then…

Then…

She rubbed her eyes tiredly. What was wrong with her? She suddenly shot up in her seat. It was almost sunset! She had to get home now. Grabbing her things, she jumped down from the bench, fleetly wondering why the ground seemed so far away, and started running when something occurred to her. Her footsteps slowed. She looked at her hands and her eyes widened.

She screamed.

&

"Are you really really sure you're my best friend?"

Sakuno nodded her head vigorously. "Tomo, please believe me!" she squeaked in a small voice. "I just… I don't know what to do and where to go and- oh!" Her face crumpled, and she started to cry.

Tomo sighed and patted her little head. "Sakuno, come on, don't cry. You still don't remember anything important?" Sakuno shook her head dejectedly. "First, we have to tell your grandmother."

Sakuno hiccupped. "She's going to a week-long seminar tomorrow. I don't want her to worry..."

"All right. I'll tell her you're staying with me for a while for a… school project or something. Second, we have to find you a place to stay."

Sakuno blinked her large brown eyes. "Can't I stay here, Tomo?"

Tomo sighed again. "I'm sorry, Sakuno, but my mom would kill me if I brought another kid to the house. You know how wild my brothers are." She suddenly brightened. "Hey, I know a place!"

&

"Osakada, are we even _friends_? What are you doing?"

Tomo shrugged and beamed. "Details, details. Well, Ryoma-sama, since we're here and all, why don't you let us inside?"

Ryoma grudgingly let her in, muttering to himself. He blinked when he saw a little girl trailing after her. She looked kinda cute, with her big eyes and long pigtails. The kid looked at him, squeaked, then rushed inside. He raised an eyebrow. Right.

"So," he started, glaring at her, ignoring the little girl who was stealing glances at him behind the sofa. "Why are you here? At my house. In the middle of the night."

Tomo smiled widely. "Well, you see…" She paused dramatically and suddenly shoved the kid into his arms. "That's all."

Ryoma's jaw dropped. "What?"

The girl wriggled madly in his arms, and he had to place her firmly in his lap to keep her from harming herself. Tomo grinned. "See, you're good with kids, so I'm leaving my cousin in your hands."

"Hell no!" He was about to give the kid back to her when Nanako entered the living room. Her eyes widened.

"Oh my god! She's so cute!" The older woman grabbed the kid enthusiastically. Sakuno squealed in surprise. "I've always wanted to have a little sister!" She beamed at Tomo. "You're Ryoma's friend, right? I heard part of your conversation. How long can she stay here with us?"

Ryoma stood. "Hey!"

Tomo laughed. "A few days, I guess. I'm sorry for the trouble, but my house is kinda full at the moment."

He glared at her. "Isn't there any other place?! How about Ryuzaki?"

Tomo waved her hand dismissively. "Sakuno has a lot of things to do. I don't want to trouble her."

"Right. So it's okay to bother me," he muttered.

Nanako smiled. "All right. We'll take good care of her. What's her name by the way?"

Tomo gave a small smile. "Her name's Chiaki."

Sakuno smiled weakly.

&

"Are you sure, Nanako-neesan?" Sakuno asked nervously. "Ryoma-niisan doesn't like me…"

"_You must always remember to call them politely, all right?" Tomo reminded her. _

Nanako smiled warmly, pulling Sakuno's long auburn hair into two pigtails. "I'm sure he does, Aki-chan. You could sleep in my room, but I'm a really restless sleeper. Unlike me, Ryoma sleeps like a log. Don't worry, ok?" She frowned a little, then suddenly searched her dresser and took a shiny pink clip designed as a flower. She grinned and put it on Sakuno's hair.

Sakuno nodded. "Ok." She bit her lip unsurely. The clip was cute, but it was so _childish._ "Anou... does Ryoma-nii hate girls?"

_"And while you're at it, why don't you know all you can about Ryoma-sama as well?" Tomo grinned mischievously. "You can discover lots of things about him there!"_

Nanako laughed. "Of course not! He may act that way all that time, but Ryoma actually has a soft spot for them." At this, her expression was thoughtful. "Or maybe a particular one."

Sakuno blinked. Tomo was right. There _was_ a girl. She ignored the painful little pang somewhere in her heart and smiled. "Eh? Can you tell me who she is?"

_"And if there was a girl other than you or me, make sure to tell me as soon as possible, ok?" Tomo gave a smile that was positively evil. "I'll make sure he never sees her again."_

The older girl winked. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Sakuno sighed inwardly. She really hoped she was going to get back to her old self soon.

&

"Why do I always get stuck with a girl?" Ryoma grumbled to himself. He glanced at her. "Look, kid, I value my privacy, so don't cross this line," he reminded sternly, indicating the pillow that separated the bed into two.

Sakuno nodded and pulled the cover up to her chin. "Can I ask you something, Ryoma-nii?"

"No, so go back to sleep," he muttered. He rolled his eyes and turned off the light.

&

_She was reading a book. She remembered going to the park because it was too silent at home without her obaasan. She was sitting peacefully on the bench, minding her own business, when a kid suddenly came running to her. He was grinning, she noticed, and he shoved a jar at her. She accepted it a bit hesitatingly and watched as the boy skipped away._

_And then... then..._

She woke up. She looked frantically around her then groaned. Why couldn't she remember anything important? Surely, there must be a reason how and why she turned back into a kid. She took a pillow and pressed it tightly to her face, resisting the urge to burst into tears. She tensed when a hand touched her wrist.

"Hey. Are you all right?" Ryoma mumbled sleepily.

Sakuno lowered the pillow and nodded her head. "I'm f-fine, Ryoma-nii. Please go back to sleep…"

"Che. Kids should be more willful…" She squeaked when he pulled her down into his arms, her small back colliding into his chest. "Go back to sleep."

She didn't dare move. She wondered what she should do. Ryoma was _hugging_ her! Should she take advantage of the situation and hug him back? Or should she play the role of ignorant kid? Against her will, her eyes closed tiredly, and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Ryoma sighed and leaned his forehead against the back of her head. "Why do you remind me of her so much?"

&

"I can't bring her to school!"

"Ryoma, you know I can't bring her to my job!"

The said tennis prince growled in frustration. "Look, I already slept with her! Isn't that enough?"

From the sides, Nanjiroh whistled. "Can't believe you had it in you, brat." Sakuno blushed crimson and stuttered in denial.

"You're the one who wanted her to stay!" Ryoma argued.

"As if you didn't," Nanako countered. "She looks so much like that girl it's impossible for you to not like her!"

Sakuno blinked. _Are they talking about the girl Ryoma-kun likes?_ she wondered.

"Why can't she stay with the old man?" Ryoma was desperate, a tint of pink on his cheeks.

Nanako put her hands on her hips. "I won't answer that question."

Nanjiroh frowned indignantly. "Hey! I'm not a pedophile."

Ryoma glared at her. "Fine! But you owe me a Japanese breakfast for a week!"

She smiled. "Deal."

Sakuno blinked as Ryoma grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the house. That was all? Right. She waved at the rest of the Echizen household. "We'll be going now!"

&

"E-eh? Ochibi brought a girl to practice?"

Momo nodded wildly. "This is the first time in three years, Eiji-senpai! You really have to see it to believe it!"

"Look, guys, I'm sure it's not what you think," Oishi started to explain.

"Exactly," said a bored voice. "Nothing monumental has happened, Momo-senpai, so please get out of the way."

Eiji froze and looked over Momo's shoulder. He saw-

A little girl.

Oishi had to cover his partner's mouth to stifle the scream. Eiji was horrified. "Y-you're… you're…"

Sakuno smiled nervously. "Umm… hello."

The redhead wailed. "You're a cradle-robber, ochibi!"

"A- what? Eiji-senpai, will you calm down?" Ryoma muttered as one-half of the Golden Pair started to run around the club room, screaming. He sighed to himself and shot a glowering look at the innocently smiling kid.

He would definitely make Osakada pay for this.

&

By the time classes ended, two-thirds of the school knew of the rumor that Echizen Ryoma was dating a girl eight years his junior (Sakuno was seven). Even Tezuka heard of it, and the practice turned out to be horrible. Ryoma was so tired of explaining himself to his senpais that he almost didn't care when the tennis captain looked at his 'girlfriend' appraisingly and smirked.

_Almost_. In reality, Ryoma wanted to kill himself. The only good thing that happened was his early dismissal from practice because according to Fuji-senpai, _"Chiaki-chan looks so tired. She's waiting for Echizen, right? Shouldn't he bring her home already?" _And because nobody would _dare_ resist the tensai, everybody agreed to let him off early.

He glanced at her and frowned. _She does look a bit tired_, he thought to himself. She wasn't even skipping. "Hey. You okay?"

Sakuno started and looked at him in surprise. "E-eh? I'm all right, Ryoma-nii," she lied, smiling. His frown deepened but he didn't ask any further. Sakuno sighed inwardly. Her first day in school as a kid was hell. She couldn't believe everybody thought she was Ryoma's girlfriend. If they only knew he liked someone else... Once again, she ignored that pang in her heart. Ryoma wasn't hers, she reminded herself. And she wasn't supposed to take advantage of the situation. When Ryoma wasn't looking, she sneaked off to find Tomo and they talked for a while before she had to go. During Ryoma's classes, she went to the park and was dismayed to find the jar missing. Her memory about that time was unclear, so the jar was the only thing she had left. She sighed dejectedly.

"You like ice cream?"

She nodded absentmindedly and kicked a pebble on the road. She wanted to be back to her old self soon. She was surprised when an ice cream cone was placed into her hand. "E-eh?" She looked up at Ryoma.

He shrugged. "You looked like you needed it." At her startled expression, he sighed. "Look, you're just a kid. I told you kids should be more willful, right?"

Sakuno almost cried. She didn't know he was so nice! "T-thanks, Ryoma-nii," she whispered. Her eyes lowered and she uncertainly licked the strawberry delight almost dripping from her hand.

"Kids shouldn't be coy either," he muttered to himself, tearing his eyes away from her.

She blinked. "You were saying something, Ryoma-nii?"

He cleared his throat. "You like strawberry?"

She beamed. "Strawberry's my favorite!"

At her reply, he almost smiled. "Yeah. I had a feeling it is." Sakuno looked at him curiously, but he just shrugged. "Let's go home. They're probably waiting for us."

&

The first five days chibi-Sakuno spent with the Echizens was, to say the least, awkward. For the most part of their time at home, Ryoma had this tendency to forget about her. He almost walked in on her on the shower once! On a good note, though, it was enlightening. She found out that Nanjiroh teased Ryoma on a daily basis, and the younger man was far from happy about it. Ryoma hated American food, too, and he would sulk all through out breakfast if his mother cooked it. He wasn't as restful a sleeper as Nanako thought because one morning Sakuno found herself cocooned in his arms when she was definitely sure she was on the other side of the bed the night before.

The fifth day was an entirely different day altogether. Sakuno followed Ryoma as he quietly went into "their" room and sat on the bed. She was faintly alarmed. Ryoma always flopped down on the bed and went to sleep until dinner time. "Ryoma-nii?" she asked tentatively.

There was no response. Instead, he lifted a hand and patted the space beside him.

Sakuno quickly went to sit by his side. When he didn't move after that, she asked again, "Ryoma-nii?"

She was surprised when a frown formed on his lips. "She didn't come today."

"O-oh." Sakuno was curious. "Who didn't?"

He glanced at her, and she squawked in surprise when he placed her on his lap, smoothing her hair away from her face. "You know... you really look familiar."

She swallowed nervously. "E-eh?"

He shook his head and flopped down on the bed. Sakuno had to brace herself to keep from falling on top of him. "She didn't come today," he repeated to himself.

"O-oh." Sakuno was really curious now. "Who didn't?"

Ryoma looked at her, apparently wondering if he should tell her or not. "We had a game earlier."

She lit up. "Oh! You were really really cool, Ryoma-kun! You totally beat that guy!"

His mouth twitched, and his eyes cleared a little. "Yeah, she was supposed to watch my game." He sighed. "She didn't come."

Sakuno was confused. Who was this person he was talking about? Whoever she was, she was making Ryoma act all lovesick. Sakuno decided she wouldn't ever like this person. "Who is she?"

Ryoma took a moment to respond, but when he did, Sakuno wished she never listened. "My girlfriend."

&

That night, when Ryoma unconsciously wrapped her in an embrace in his sleep, Sakuno buried her face in his chest. She really wished she was back to her normal body. She was afraid she couldn't keep her pain from showing anymore.

&

It was on the seventh day when it happened. When she woke up, she was suddenly painfully aware that she was back to being a 15-year old girl. She was about to stand up when she realized something was chaining her to the bed.

Ryoma had an arm wrapped around her waist.

She almost swooned, until she realized three things: one, Ryoma cuddled with _Chiaki_, not with Sakuno; two, she didn't have a good explanation on why she was in bed with him; and three, Ryoma had a girlfriend. The sudden realization made her deflate, but there was no time to mourn over her lost love because Ryoma suddenly moved in his sleep. She gently disentangled herself from his arms and left before anyone could see her.

It really was better this way.

&

Tomo squealed happily when she saw Sakuno enter their first class that morning. "Sakuno! You're back!" she exclaimed, hugging her best friend enthusiastically.

Sakuno smiled and hugged her back. "I'm so glad I'm back!"

Tomo grinned. "Same here! So, what did you find out about Ryoma-sama?"

Sakuno's smile almost fell, but she quickly put it back in place. "Anou... you wouldn't believe it, but-" The door to their room slammed open.

"Osakada!"

The whole class watched as the tennis prince stormed angrily towards Tomo. One could practically see a thunder cloud above his head.

Tomo was stunned. She glanced at Sakuno. "Ryoma-sama! Uh... what is it?"

Ryoma was furious. "Your cousin! Where is she?"

"I... um... she went back to the States."

He raised an eyebrow disbelievingly. "So quickly? She didn't even tell Nanako. So, tell me where-" His eyes glanced to the side and widened. "Ryuzaki."

Her smile was frozen on her face. "Ryoma-kun."

Tomo glanced at her curiously.

At once, the thunder cloud seemed to disappear. To everyone's surprise, his features cleared and he smirked, placing something on Sakuno's hand. "You forgot this."

Sakuno looked at her hand and her eyes widened when she saw the hairclip that she took to wearing ever since her stay at the Echizens. "T-then-"

He shrugged and turned to walk away. "I'll be having another match later. I want to see my girl friend cheering for me," he called out over his shoulder.

Something clicked inside her head. She could only gape at him in shock. When he was gone and everyone turned to look at her, red slowly suffused her cheeks.

"Ryoma-kun!"

&

There. That was a little weird, I think, but I wanted to finish it quickly. I purposely didn't include the reason why Sakuno turned back into a kid because I can't think of anything realistic. This honestly started out as light and funny, but it just turned sappy and dramatic in the end because I can't help it when Sakuno's involved. Hope everyone still liked it! Thanks for reading!

Queen Mist


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